Four killed in Nepal chopper crash

A helicopter engaged in relief operations for earthqauke victims crashed in Nepal's Sindhupalchowk district on Tuesday, killing all four people on board.

The helicopter, returning from Dolakha after distributing relief material to earthquake victims, crashed in Yamuna Danda village development council(VDC) in Sindhupalchok district, the Nepal Army confirmed.

The chopper, flying at low altitude rammed into a high-tension electric line and burst into flames at Shila Parbat jungle, eyewitnesses said. Captain Subek Shrestha was flying the helicopter, Birendra Shrestha, general manager of Tribhuvan International Airport said.

"The crash occurred when helicopter hit the power supply cable," Shrestha said.

"We have recovered four bodies -- three of males and one of a female -- from the crash site," Meghraj Paneru, assistant police inspector of Balephi, said. The helicopter has been destroyed completely.

There were four people, including Captain Subek Shrestha on board the 9N-AJP chopper belonging to Mountain Air, said the company's manager Basanta Bhandari.

A Nepal Army troops from Gorakh Bahadur Battalion has reached the crash site and recovered the four bodies. The deceased include three Nepalis and a Dutch national.

This is the second chopper crash in Nepal following the earthquake in April 25. Earlier, an American UH-1 'Huey' carrying six US Marines and two Nepalese soldiers met with an accident during a relief mission in earthquake-hit Nepal's Sindhupalchowk district.

(Anil Giri can be cotacted at girianil@gmail.com)