At least five people killed after tourist helicopter goes missing near Mount Everest

The helicopter disappeared from radar after departing from the mountainous district of Solukhumbu in eastern Nepal and initial media reports indicated that all nationals foreigners on board were Mexican

The summit of Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world (

Image: Getty Images)

At least five people have been killed after a helicopter carrying six people disappeared near Mount Everest.

The plane was carrying five foreign tourists on a guided tour of the world's highest peak and was returning to the capital, Kathmandu, on Tuesday morning when it fell off the radar.

He had just left the mountainous district of Solukhumbu in eastern Nepal when he disappeared.

The helicopter crashed in the Lamajura area and rescuers have now recovered the bodies of five people and are looking for the sixth, said Basanta Bhattarai, the chief government administrator in the area.

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Initial media reports indicated that all foreign nationals on board were Mexicans while the pilot was Nepali.

A line of climbers at the top of Everest (

Picture:

AFP/Getty Images)

Airport official Sagar Kadel said the weather caused changes to the helicopter's flight route. It is common for flights to be delayed and routes to change during the monsoon season amid heavy rains.

However, most of the mountainous area is only accessible on foot, with no roads.

The tourist and mountaineering season ended in May with the start of the rainy season and tourist flights to the mountains are not common at this time of year as visibility deteriorates and conditions weather becomes unpredictable.

Experts say this year will likely be the deadliest yet on the mountain due to constant weather changes caused by climate change.

A total of 12 people have been confirmed dead on Everest expeditions this season and five more are missing, presumed dead, according to the Himalayan Database, which tracks mountain deaths.

Yuba Raj Khatiwada, director of Nepal's tourism department, told the Guardian: "All in all, you...