The Government of Nepal issued a statement on the crash of an Air Dynasty helicopter that killed Nepal Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Rabindra Adhikari today together with 6 more, including the owner of Air Dynasty.
The helicopter went to Chuhandanda in Tehrathum district during beautiful weather. The minister and his team were to inspect a site for a new airport project followed by a stop at Parthivara temple, Taplejung, Nepal. The helicopter got caught in bad weather on its return to Kathmandu.
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The government statement was released to Nepal media and reads:
“An Air Dynasty Heli Services Pvt. Ltd’s AS 350 Helicopter crashed in Pathivara ( North Eastern Nepal) at 1330 hrs (NST), Wednesday, February 27.
As per the information received, there were 6 passengers and 01 Captain ( all Nepali Citizen) on board. The rescue and search team of Nepal Army and Police have been activated. ”
Further government statements assume all passengers and the pilot died in the crash.
The minister was supposed to leave for Berchtesgaden, Germany to attend the 4th UNWTO Euro-Asian Mountain Tourism Conference on March 2.
After March 2 the minister was scheduled to attend ITB Berlin, the largest travel industry trade show in the world. He was to launch the Nepal 2020 year at a VIP dinner in Berlin on March 7 and organized by eTN Corporation, owner of this publication.
Rabindra Prasad Adhikari was born on May 5, 1969. He was a member of the Nepal Communist Party and the current Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation as of Mach 16, 2018. He was the Kaski District secretary of the party.[In the 2008 Constituent Assembly election, Adhikari was elected from the Kaski-3 constituency, with 13,386 votes. In the 2013 Constituent Assembly election, he was re-elected from the Kaski-3 constituency, with 15456 votes. Since 2013 he was Central Committee member of CPN UML and was President of Development Committee of Legislative Parliament of Nepal. He was also author of the book (Constituent Assembly, Democracy and Re-structuring) and (Samriddha Nepal).
He was elected as Member of Parliament from the election held on 26 November 2017.
Air Dynasty Heli service Pvt Ltd. was established in 1993. Air dynasty’s fleet includes 5 Ecureuil As350 Series Helicopters. Air dynasty is the oldest among a few operators of light helicopters and the operators of Ecureuil helicopters in private aviation in Nepal.
These helicopters are certified to fly up to 23000 ft. AMSL. Each aircraft can normally accommodate 5 adult passengers subjective of altitude and temperature at the landing site. Expert key professionals managing and operating at air dynasty have extensive experience of managing aviation operation in national and international civil aviation.