Helicopter flights resume in Khumbu region

Kathmandu, January 27 — There are signs of a breakthrough in the ongoing obstruction of helicopter flights in the Khumbu region. Following a multi-party meeting held on Friday, the obstruction on helipads was removed by local authorities, and rescue flights have resumed.

The meeting, held at the District Administration Office in Solukhumbu, involved key stakeholders including the Airlines Operators Association of Nepal, Sagarmatha National Park Office, Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality, and other concerned parties.

The meeting reached an agreement that the local authorities would remove the obstructions on the helipads, allowing airline operators to resume rescue flights immediately.

After this agreement, the Chief District Officer of Solukhumbu, Anoj Kumar Ghimire, confirmed that the obstructions on the helipads were cleared with the help of the rural municipality, and rescue flights have now begun.

According to Ghimire, if there is a need for rescue flights, requests can be made immediately. For regular flights, an agreement is expected to be reached within 15 days, ensuring mutual benefit for all parties involved.

Pratap Pandey, the managing director of Kailash Helicopters, also confirmed that the airline companies are ready for rescue flights following the removal of the obstruction. He added that the rural municipality is also positive about regular flights.

Previously, helicopter flights in the region had been suspended since January 1. The national park authorities had imposed the ban, citing concerns about the environment and wildlife preservation, while the rural municipality and community expressed concerns about the impact on employment.

Although the national park office later sent a letter to resume helicopter operations, the service had not resumed due to the disagreement from the rural municipality and local obstructions.