Indian national killed after 2 helicopters collide in Nepal's Mount Everest region

An Indian national has been killed and a New Zealander injured after two helicopters collided as they prepared to land in Nepal's Mount Everest region on Tuesday, authorities say.

The New Zealander has been rescued, the chief district officer of Solukhumbu district, Kaman Singh Thapa Magar, told Reuters.

The incident took place in the base camp area of Mount Everest, Magar said.

The collision has gone viral on social media after a video, purportedly showing the incident, surfaced online, Indian broadcaster NDTV reports. However, NDTV said it could not independently verify the authenticity of the footage.

The video showed the rotors of the two helicopters striking each other moments before landing, sending both aircraft crashing onto the icy ground.

The helicopters were operated by two private firms, Fishtail Air and Dynasty Air. Fishtail Air said in a statement that its helicopter was carrying passengers who had been rescued from the Everest region when it crashed while landing.

The Indian and the New Zealander on board were tourists, a Fishtail official said.

A Dynasty Air official said its helicopter was carrying only cargo.

The accident comes during the peak trekking season in Nepal, when helicopters ferry hikers and climbers in the region.

Small helicopters are widely used in Nepal to transport tourists, climbers and supplies, as well as to conduct emergency evacuations.

However, the country's challenging mountainous terrain and rapidly changing weather conditions make aviation operations particularly hazardous.

Nepal is home to eight of the world's 14 highest mountains and attracts thousands of foreign climbers and trekkers every year.

Helicopter operations in the mountainous regions of Nepal and neighbouring India are especially challenging because of the thin air at high altitudes.

The lower air density means rotor blades have fewer air molecules to push against, reducing the lift they can generate. Engines also struggle to draw in sufficient oxygen for efficient combustion, resulting in reduced power.

Just days ago, a helicopter crashed shortly after taking off from Badrinath in India's Uttarakhand state, killing all six people on board, including the pilot and five passengers.

Badrinath is also a high-altitude area where thin air makes flying particularly challenging.