Kathmandu: A small plane veered off the runway and hit two helicopters while taking off at Lukla airport near Mount Everest on Sunday, killing three people and injuring three, officials said. The Lukla airport is the main gateway to the Everest region and is reputed to be one of the most difficult in the world for landings and take-offs. A co-pilot from the Let-410 run by Summit Air bound for Kathmandu and a police officer on the ground were killed on the spot, Lukla airport official Ema Nath Adhikari told.
Another policeman died in hospital in Kathmandu, a police spokesman confirmed. "The plane slipped towards the helipad during take-off and collided with two helicopters. The injured have been sent to Kathmandu for treatment," Adhikari said. "We are not sure about the cause of the accident." Lukla airport is used by thousands of trekkers and climbers heading for the Everest region each year.
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