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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 United Nations helicopter has crashed in stormy weather in Nepal, killing all 10 people on board.
The UN workers were returning from a visit to a camp for former Maoist rebels, officials have said. The UN aircraft was returning to the capital, Kathmandu, after a regular visit to a camp for former Maoist rebels in eastern Nepal.
Witnesses reported seeing the helicopter on fire before it crashed into a hillside, though the cause of the crash remains unclear, police said. The helicopter burst into flames after being struck by lightning in the remote Ramechhap district, 65km (40 miles) east of Kathmandu, witnesses said.
Rescue workers said 10 bodies had been pulled from the wreckage, but it is not known how many people were on board. Ten bodies had been pulled from the wreckage, rescue workers said.
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. Thee crew members and seven UN officials - mainly weapons inspectors from the United Nations Mission in Nepal (Unmin) - were aboard the stricken vehicle.
The UN said it had lost contact with the aircraft at about 1600 (1015 GMT). The UN lost contact with the aircraft at about 1600 (1015 GMT), a spokesman said, adding that several Unmin parties had been dispatched to the hillside area where the helicopter went down.
Bad weatherBad weather
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 took several hours to reach the crash-site on foot as it is inaccessible by road.
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.
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.