Six die in helicopter crash near Mount Everest

Five Mexican tourists and a Nepalese pilot were aboard the helicopter that crashed Tuesday in the mountains of Nepal. The helicopter took off around 10 a.m. local time but lost radio contact and crashed about ten minutes later. They were returning to Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital, after a trip to see Mount Everest. Authorities used two other helicopters to recover the bodies. Officials will perform an autopsy on the bodies before turning them over to the Mexican embassy. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

Are aircraft crashes in Nepal common? This crash comes after over sixty people died in a plane crash earlier this year. Flying in Nepal can be tricky due to weather, the mountainous area, and poor safety, according to the U.S. State Department. Tourist trips are uncommon during this time of year because of unpredictable weather influenced by the monsoon season.

Dig deeper: Read Josh Schumacher’s report in The Sift on the Nepalese plane crash six months ago.