Altitude Air Helicopter Crashes in Lobuche; Insurance Claim Expected to Fall on Sagarmatha Lumbini Insurance
Kathmandu – An Altitude Air helicopter (9N-AMS) crashed on Wednesday in the Lobuche area of Solukhumbu during a rescue operation. The aircraft, an Airbus H125, was en route from Lukla to Lobuche to rescue foreign tourists when it suffered a hard landing at around 7:52 a.m.
According to company sources, the pilot, Captain Bibek Khadka, was rescued safely shortly after the incident. The crash occurred when the helicopter slipped on the snow during landing, resulting in significant structural damage. Preliminary assessments suggest that the wing and several other components were damaged, though the full extent of the loss remains uncertain until the engine’s condition is examined.
The current market value of the Airbus H125 model is estimated at around Rs 500 million, though the actual insured value depends on factors such as engine life and maintenance records. Altitude Air officials have confirmed that the company has begun preparations to file an insurance claim with Sagarmatha Lumbini Insurance (Salico), which is the insurer for the aircraft.
A technical team is expected to arrive on-site today to conduct a detailed damage assessment and initiate the formal insurance process. Based on initial evaluations, the potential insurance claim could range between Rs 50 million and Rs 300 million, depending on the final damage report.
The Nepal Civil Aviation Authority and Altitude Air have both initiated investigations into the cause of the crash.