Kathmandu | A private commercial helicopter with six people aboard, including five Mexican nationals, went missing near the Mount Everest area in Nepal on Tuesday, aviation authorities said.

The Manang Air chopper 9N-AMV departed from Surke Airport in Solukhumbu district at 10:04 am for Kathmandu. However, it suddenly lost contact at an altitude above 12,000 feet at 10:13 am, said Gyanendra Bhul, Manager at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA).

The passengers aboard the helicopter are reported to be five Mexican nationals, whose identities have yet to be disclosed and pilot senior captain Chet B Gurung, the Himalayan Times newspaper reported "It has been reported that the helicopter of Manang Air is out of contact, there is no contact with the tower, when it reached the Lamjura pass, it was reported that the helicopter only received a 'hello' message on Viber, the search is underway,” TIA spokesperson Teknath Sitaula told My Republica news website.

Founded in 1997, Manang Air is a helicopter airline based in Kathmandu. It has been operating helicopters in commercial air transportation within the Nepalese territory under the Regulation of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal.

The company provides chartered services and is focused on personalised services such as adventure flights helicopter excursions or expedition work