Kathmandu - Two people died and six were injured when a helicopter crashed near Mount Everest base camp on Wednesday, marring celebrations ahead of the 50th anniversary of the first ascent of the mountain.
The two dead were both Nepalis, said an army officer, who had earlier put the death toll at three.
A German woman and a helicopter crewman from Kazakhstan were among the injured, said hospital officials in Kathmandu, capital of Nepal.
The Russian-buit Mi-17, owned by private Simrik Airlines, was carrying nine people, including a crew of four, to the camp when it crashed.
| Flying in by helicopter can be dangerous |
The cause of the crash was not known.
The helicopter was on its way to the camp to pick up climbers - including Lhakpa Gelu Sherpa who this week set a record of 10 hours and 46 minutes for the fastest climb from base camp - said an airport official.
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More than 1 000 people are at the base camp, part of more than 20 expeditions trying to climb the world's highest mountain, 8 850m tall, for Thursday's 50th anniversary of the first ascent.
The base camp itself is at 5 350m and most people trek for days through the mountains to reach it. Flying in by helicopter can be dangerous because of the high altitude, thin air and occasional high winds.
About 450 people who have reached the summit are in Nepal for the anniversary, including 83-year-old Sir Edmund Hillary, the first to reach the top along with Nepali Sherpa Tenzing Norgay.
Tenzing died in 1986.
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