In a tragic turn of events, an Air Dynasty helicopter crashed in the Shivpuri region of Nuwakot, Nepal, on Wednesday, resulting in the deaths of all four people on board. The helicopter had taken off from Kathmandu and was en route to Syaphrubensi when it went down, according to a source from Tribhuvan International Airport who spoke to the Himalayan Times.
Subash Jha, the spokesperson for Tribhuvan International Airport, confirmed that the 9N-AJD helicopter, operated by Air Dynasty, departed Kathmandu at 1:54 p.m. for Syaprubesi in Rasuwa. Captain Arun Malla was piloting the chopper, which was carrying four Chinese nationals. The helicopter lost contact with air traffic control just three minutes after takeoff. A search and rescue team has been dispatched to the crash site, as reported by an Army spokesperson.
This incident follows another aviation tragedy in Nepal: on July 24, a Saurya Airlines plane skidded off the runway at Tribhuvan International Airport and crashed shortly after takeoff, killing 18 people, with the pilot as the sole survivor. This recent crash has further highlighted Nepal's concerning aviation safety record, which has seen nearly 350 fatalities from plane or helicopter crashes since 2000.
The Saurya Airlines plane, which was heading to Nepal's new Pokhara airport for regular maintenance, veered off course and crashed on the east side of the runway. The aircraft, which was carrying two crew members and 17 technicians, included 18 Nepali citizens and one Yemeni engineer. The plane's black box was recovered the following day and handed over to a probe team tasked with investigating the incident.