Helicopter skids while landing in Nepal's Mt. Lobuche

Kathmandu, Oct 29 (IANS) A helicopter that had flown to pick up trekkers from the base camp of Mt. Lobuche, a neighbouring peak of Mt. Everest, met with an accident early Wednesday morning, a senior police official said.

"The helicopter belonging to Altitude Air met with an accident at 7.50 a.m. when it skidded while landing at a helipad in Lobuche," said Deputy Superintendent of Police Manojit Kunwar, chief of Solukhumbu District Police.

"The only occupant of the helicopter, the pilot, was rescued and brought to Lukla Airport, near the mountain," he said.

According to him, the helicopter sustained partial damage to its tail and has been left at the accident site.

Lobuche, which has two peaks - Lobuche East (6,119 meters) and Lobuche West (6,145 metres) - attracts a large number of trekkers and mountaineers every year.

The mountain serves as an acclimatisation peak for climbers aiming to summit higher mountains, including Mt. Everest (8,848.86 meters), the world's tallest peak.

October is a peak tourist season in Nepal, and many trekkers reach Lobuche via the Everest trekking route during this period.

As of Tuesday evening, there were 210 trekkers at the Lobuche base camp, according to DSP Kunwar.

For the past few days, Nepali authorities have been warning trekkers to exercise extreme caution due to adverse weather conditions caused by Cyclone Mountha, which developed over the Bay of Bengal.

Nepal's high, hilly and mountainous regions have been experiencing snowfall, posing risks to residents and trekkers. However, the weather was clear in the Everest region on Wednesday when the accident occurred, Kunwar added.

He further said that authorities have advised trekkers to remain cautious while venturing outside their hotels in the mountainous areas of the Everest region.

Meanwhile, the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology on Tuesday said that the country could experience snowfall and rainfall in the central and eastern regions from October 30 to November 1.

Several government agencies have also urged the public to exercise caution while travelling in high, hilly and mountainous regions.

In a statement, the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) urged all mountaineering and trekking teams, as well as domestic and international tourists, to exercise utmost caution over the next few days due to adverse weather conditions.

--IANS

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