KATHMANDU: Thousands of trekkers were left stranded on Wednesday after both the Nepali and Chinese sides of the Everest region were closed to tourism due to unseasonably heavy snowfall. A rescue helicopter attempting to reach those trapped crashed in deep snow near Lobuche, close to Everest Base Camp.
According to Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority spokesperson Gyanendra Bhul, the private helicopter slipped while landing and fell on its side. The pilot survived and was later rescued, though it remained unclear whether any of the trekkers had been evacuated.
The Himalayan region has been blanketed by snow since Monday, as Cyclone Montha — which made landfall in India’s Andhra Pradesh state — swept moist air northward, triggering the second major snowstorm in the mountains this month. Authorities in Nepal have suspended trekking across several major routes, including the Annapurna, Manaslu, and Dhaulagiri circuits, and warned hikers to postpone trips amid dangerous weather conditions.
Nepal’s meteorological department has forecast continued snow and rain through Friday, while temperatures are expected to plunge further below freezing. Over 50 people have already died in Nepal due to floods and landslides caused by relentless rain.
On the Tibetan side of Everest, authorities in Tingri County suspended ticket sales on Tuesday afternoon, citing “impassable and icy” roads as visibility dropped sharply. The local tourism department confirmed that all traffic to the Everest Base Camp area had been halted, though it was unclear if tourists remained trapped inside.
In early October, hundreds of trekkers on the Tibetan slopes of Everest were stranded during a sudden blizzard but were rescued in a days-long operation under sub-zero conditions.
Officials across the Himalayas warn that this month’s extreme weather — rare even by mountain standards — underscores how shifting climate patterns are intensifying risks for trekkers and residents alike in one of the world’s most fragile environments.
