Published: Sunday November 15, 2009 MYT 6:42:00 PM
Russian dies in chopper crash in Nepal mountains
KATMANDU, Nepal (AP): A helicopter crashed Sunday in Nepal's remote northwest when its rear rotor hit a mountainside as it was attempting to land, killing its Russian flight engineer and injuring five others on board, an official said.
The Russian-built MI-17 helicopter was transporting grain to the mountain village of Rudhikot, which has no proper helipad, said an airport official in Surkhet, the nearest big town.
The Russian pilot lost control of the aircraft, operated by local Manang Air, when its rotor hit the mountainside, airport official Tek Bahadur Patali said. He and four Nepalese citizens on board were injured, Patali said.
The flight engineer died. The airline identified him as Sergei Kovyazo but did not give any more details.
Rudhikot, about 300 miles (480 kilometers) northwest of Katmandu, has no roads for vehicles, and food and supplies must be carried by helicopter.
Russian MI-17 helicopters are used to transport cargo to such areas and are generally flown by Russian crews.
A rescue helicopter was sent to take the injured people to a nearby town for treatment, Patali said. The government will investigate the accident, he said.
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