The cause of the crash near Likkhu, northeast of the capital Kathmandu, is still unknown, Nepal's civil aviation authority said, adding that authorities would set up a committee to investigate.
Bodies of victims were found after a helicopter crash in Nepal on July 11, 2023. Photo: Reuters
The helicopter, operated by Manang Air, carries tourists looking to see the country's towering peaks, including Mount Everest, the world's highest mountain.
Basanta Bhattarai, the top official in Solukhumbu district, where the accident occurred, said rescuers had recovered the bodies of all six people.
"We have brought four bodies to Kathmandu by helicopter and are preparing to bring the remaining two bodies soon," Bhattarai said from the scene of the accident.
He said rescuers had placed the bodies in body bags and were waiting at the helipad until the weather cleared for the helicopter to take off.
Sita Adhikari, another official in the area, said the bodies were dismembered. A local witness, Nima Tshering Sherpa, said the helicopter crashed into a wooded hillside.
An airport official, Teknath Sitoula, said a Nepalese pilot and five Mexican citizens were on board.
"The helicopter took off... in good weather. The weather was not bad. We cannot say now what caused the accident. It will have to be investigated," said Raju Neupane, a spokesman for Manang Air.
The country has a history of air accidents, as many airlines fly to small airports in remote hills and near mountain peaks that are often covered in clouds.
In January this year, Nepal's worst air accident in 30 years killed 71 people when a plane crashed near the tourist city of Pokhara.
Bui Huy (according to Reuters)
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