National 6 (Spotlight Weekly)

Safety Oversight

A two-week search operation fails to locate Asian Airlines' helicopter

By A CORRESSPONDENT

More than two weeks after a Russian MI-17† helicopter of Asian Airlines, carrying 10 people aboard, disappeared on its way to Lukla, nobody knows what happened. The Russian helicopter took off from the base camp of Mt. Makalu carrying all the porters and guides of French expedition team to Lukla. It is believed that the helicopter might have crashed in the area between Makalu and Khumbu range.

Aviation experts assume that the Asian Airlines helicopter took the wrong route to Lukla. Normally, planes and helicopters are not allowed to fly over the northern range. It is believed that the helicopter flew northward from the base camp, where the topography goes on higher elevation.

Normally, it is very risky to fly northward to cross the Himalayas. Had the ill-fated helicopter flied south from base camp before following another route to Lukla, the accident could have been averted. Instead of going south, the pilots seemed to have been concerned about saving flight time.

It is said that hours earlier the helicopter flied along the similar route to drop the French expedition team to Lukla Airport before going to the base camp again to fetch porters and other Sherpa guides. The pilot may have miscalculated the height of the mountain range and collided in some area in Khumbu range where Mt. Everest lies.

Rescue teams faced difficulties because dense forests, deep gorges as well as some glaciers cover the area. "We have been making every effort to locate the helicopter, as we have sent our rescue teams from various positions," said an official.
Although the Russian helicopter could normally fly higher than other models, it would have been impossible to gain such heights in a short moment. Generally, dense fog covers the mountains, so visibility may have poor in the region when the helicopter lost the contact.

Normally, helicopters are not permitted to fly in conditions when visibility is poor. Since they do not have facilities for mechanical fight system, they depend on visual flight system. "Once the helicopter pilots fail to see land, they have to land the chopper at nearest point for the security reasons," said an aviation expert.

But there are many lapses in Nepal. Few monitor whether the situation is permissible to fly. Moreover, Russian helicopters are not allowed to carry civilian passengers. "Everything can be presumable in Nepal and nobody cares about the safety and security matters," said an aviation analyst.

The failure to locate the helicopter despite several efforts must serve as a warning to civil aviation authorities to follow standards to safeguard the interest of the passengers and crew.