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Helicopter Crashes in Nepali Forest, Killing All 5 on Board

Devotees’ light traditional torches on the last day of the Rato Machindranath chariot festival, also known as Bhoto Jatra, in Bungamati, Lalitpur on the outskirts of Kathmandu on August 4, 2024. (Photo by PRAKASH MATHEMA / AFP)
Devotees’ light traditional torches on the last day of the Rato Machindranath chariot festival, also known as Bhoto Jatra, in Bungamati, Lalitpur on the outskirts of Kathmandu on August 4, 2024. (Photo by PRAKASH MATHEMA / AFP)
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Helicopter Crashes in Nepali Forest, Killing All 5 on Board

Devotees’ light traditional torches on the last day of the Rato Machindranath chariot festival, also known as Bhoto Jatra, in Bungamati, Lalitpur on the outskirts of Kathmandu on August 4, 2024. (Photo by PRAKASH MATHEMA / AFP)
Devotees’ light traditional torches on the last day of the Rato Machindranath chariot festival, also known as Bhoto Jatra, in Bungamati, Lalitpur on the outskirts of Kathmandu on August 4, 2024. (Photo by PRAKASH MATHEMA / AFP)

A helicopter crashed in a forest outside Nepal's capital Kathmandu shortly after takeoff on Wednesday, killing all five people on board, an official said, the latest of more than a dozen air crashes in the mountainous region since 2000.
The helicopter, operated by Dynasty air crashed into a Himalayan forest in Shivapuri National Park of Nuwakot district, 57 km (35 miles) from the capital, deputy Chief District Officer Krishna Prasad Humagain said.
Police spokesman Dan Bahadur Karki confirmed all four passengers were Chinese nationals, three men and one woman, while the pilot was a Nepali male.
Local residents saw a fire emanating from the forest and alerted authorities, Reuters quoted him as saying.
The helicopter, which was en route to Rasuwa district from Kathmandu on Wednesday afternoon, lost contact with air traffic control three minutes after takeoff, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal said in a statement.
More than 360 people have died in plane or helicopter crashes in Nepal in the past 24 years.
Wedged between India and China, landlocked Nepal is home to eight of the world's 14 highest peaks, and its planes often service small airports nestled in remote hills or near peaks blanketed in clouds.

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Russia Warns of Consequences for Striking Iran’s Nuclear Facilities

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov. (Reuters file)
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov. (Reuters file)
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Russia Warns of Consequences for Striking Iran’s Nuclear Facilities

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov. (Reuters file)
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov. (Reuters file)

Moscow warned against military action targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure following US President Donald Trump’s threat to bomb the country if it fails to reach an agreement.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov criticized Trump’s threats of military force, warning that escalation would have catastrophic consequences for the entire region.

Russia opposes coercive solutions, aggression, and military strikes, Ryabkov said.

He condemned Washington’s threats against Iran as an attempt to impose its will on Tehran, cautioning that further escalation would only complicate the situation and require greater efforts in the future to contain the risks of a new conflict in the Middle East, where tensions are already at a peak.

Moscow has previously offered to mediate between Washington and Tehran. Analysts suggest Russia is seeking to strengthen its diplomatic leverage by positioning itself as a key player in resolving the nuclear standoff. Russian officials believe they can offer security guarantees to both sides, similar to those provided during the 2015 nuclear deal negotiations.

Moscow and Washington have reportedly discussed, through contacts in Saudi Arabia, the possibility of Russia facilitating dialogue on Iran. However, Trump’s increasingly aggressive rhetoric has raised concerns in Moscow.

Ilya Vaskin, a researcher at the Center for the Study of the Middle East, the Caucasus, and Central Asia at HSE University, said issuing ultimatums is a hallmark of the Trump administration’s negotiating style. According to Vaskin, Washington is trying to pressure Iran into a swift agreement and secure a new nuclear deal on its own terms.

Lev Sokolchik, a senior researcher at the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies at the HSE University, noted that Iran has made significant progress in its nuclear program and missile capabilities in recent years. He argued that Trump is trying to curb Iran’s military ambitions, which could threaten U. interests in the region.

Sokolchik warned that Iran could develop a nuclear weapon within months, a scenario that deeply concerns both the United States and Israel.