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Fatal UN Nepal helicopter crash Fatal UN Nepal helicopter crash
(about 3 hours later)
A helicopter carrying United Nations officials has crashed in bad weather in east Nepal, killing at least 10 people.A helicopter carrying United Nations officials has crashed in bad weather in east Nepal, killing at least 10 people.
The UN workers were returning from a visit to a camp for former Maoist rebels, officials have said.The UN workers were returning from a visit to a camp for former Maoist rebels, officials have said.
Witnesses reported seeing the helicopter on fire before it crashed into a hillside, though the cause of the crash remains unclear, police said.Witnesses reported seeing the helicopter on fire before it crashed into a hillside, though the cause of the crash remains unclear, police said.
Rescue workers said 10 bodies had been pulled from the wreckage, but it is not known how many people were on board.Rescue workers said 10 bodies had been pulled from the wreckage, but it is not known how many people were on board.
The number of UN staff who were travelling on the stricken helicopter is also unknown. Those on board were mainly weapons inspectors from the United Nations Mission in Nepal (Unmin) returning to the capital, Kathmandu, from a visit to a Maoist camp further east.
The UN said it had lost contact with the helicopter at around 1600 local time (1015 GMT) and that those on board were mainly weapons inspectors. The UN said it had lost contact with the aircraft at about 1600 (1015 GMT).
Witnesses said the helicopter had burst into flames after being struck by lightning during a thunder storm in the Sindhuli district, some 65km (40 miles) east of the capital Kathmandu, the BBC's Charles Haviland reports from Nepal.
Bad weatherBad weather
It had taken police two hours to reach the crash site on foot as the area is inaccessible by road, our correspondent says. The helicopter burst into flames after being struck by lightning in the remote Ramechhap district, some 65km (40 miles) east of Kathmandu, witnesses said.
Police had taken several hours to reach the crash site on foot as the area is inaccessible by road, reports the BBC's Charles Haviland from Nepal.
The Maoists gave up their armed revolt in November 2006The Maoists gave up their armed revolt in November 2006
Several Unmin parties have been dispatched to the site, a UN spokesman said.
Darkness and poor weather made it too difficult to use helicopters, which Mohan Adhikari, chief of the air rescue unit at Kathmandu airport, said would be sent out on Tuesday morning.Darkness and poor weather made it too difficult to use helicopters, which Mohan Adhikari, chief of the air rescue unit at Kathmandu airport, said would be sent out on Tuesday morning.
"We have conflicting reports that there were either 11 or 15 people on board but even the UN representatives are not sure how many were there on the helicopter," Mr Adhikari told AP."We have conflicting reports that there were either 11 or 15 people on board but even the UN representatives are not sure how many were there on the helicopter," Mr Adhikari told AP.
The United Nations Mission in Nepal (Unmin) has been assisting Nepal's peace process since the Maoists - a communist rebel group - gave up their armed revolt and joined mainstream politics in November 2006. Unmin has been assisting Nepal's peace process since the Maoists - a communist rebel group - gave up their armed revolt and joined mainstream politics in November 2006.
UN arms monitors have supervised the presence of the rebels and their weapons in camps around the country.UN arms monitors have supervised the presence of the rebels and their weapons in camps around the country.