Bad weather and rugged terrain of Himalayan region caused crash of a US military helicopter distributing aid to victims of earthquake in Nepal in May, according to the probe report.
“Because of the terrain and bad weather the helicopter collided with hard rock and crashed about 11,200 feet – some 3,413 m – above the sea level in Kalinchok hill,” Nepal Army said, revealing the report of joint investigation between Nepal Army and the US military, here today.
The wreckage of the Marines UH-1Y Huey helicopter, which had gone missing on May 12, was found three days later on a steep slope near dense forest high in the Kalinchok mountains after a local informed the police.
Six US Marines, two Nepali soldiers and five civilians were killed in the crash. The helicopter was part of a huge international relief and rescue operation for victims of devastating earthquake that struck Nepal on April 25.
The devastating eartgquake and a second tremor on May 12 killed at least 8,832 Nepalis and injured more than 22,000 leaving some 4 million people homeless in a day.