KATHMANDU, JULY 11

The Manang Air helicopter that went missing earlier today has been found crashed in the Lamjura Pass of Solukhumbu district.

According to police, the helicopter met with the accident at approximately 3500 meters above sea level in the Lamjura Pass.

"Five bodies have been recovered from the accident site and search operation is underway," police said.

The chopper was piloted by Captain Chet B Gurung. All five passengers are members of a Mexican family. They have been identified as Sifuentes G. Fernando (95) and Sifuentes Rincon Ismail (98), both males, along with three females: Sifuentes Gongalez Abril (72), Gongalez Olacio Luz (65), and Sifuentes G. Maria Jese (52).

The ill-fated chopper, bearing the registration number 9N-AMV, had departed from Surke Airport en route to Kathmandu, with a scheduled departure time of 10:05 am. However, at 10:13 am, the helicopter suddenly lost all communication while flying at an altitude exceeding 12,000 feet. An Altitude helicopter and security personnel was dispatched toward the possible crash site by monitoring the GPS coordinates of the missing helicopter.