Remote Helicopter Crash and Medical Response in the Himalayas

On Sept. 9, 2018, in Samagaun in the Gorkha district of the Himalayan nation Nepal, an Altitude Air 9N-ALS Airbus Ecureuil (AS350 B3e) H125 helicopter was on its return flight with an expected time of arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu—the capitol of Nepal—at about 8:18 a.m. The chopper had taken off from Gorkha at 7:40 a.m. and had lost its contact with the tower at around 8:00 a.m. The Nepal Mediciti Hospital helicopter EMS (HEMS) team received a call from the Shree air helicopter company and was informed to stand by for medical rescue to be sent to the crash site. It takes the Mediciti HEMS crew less than 15 minutes to get prepared and reach the hospital’s Helipad with all of the necessary lifesaving equipment. Additional calls started to come through, including one from the Simrik air helicopter company, who also informed Mediciti HEMS to get ready for the potential medical rescue flight. The helicopter crash site was reported to be in the highly dense forest of the Nuwakot district, which is about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northwest of Kathmandu. The helicopter was carrying six passengers and was piloted by a highly experienced helicopter pilot with experience in high altitude and rescue operations. Although the weather in Kathmandu was pleasant, adverse weather at the crash site delayed the Mediciti HEMS team from taking off. Then, at about 10:30 a.m., a Simrik air helicopter with call sign 9N-ALT, commanded by Captain Bibek Khadka wa...
Source: JEMS Operations - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Tags: Rescue & Vehicle Extrication Trauma International Exclusive Articles Patient Care Source Type: news