尼泊爾政府25日證實，一架由國際保育組織世界自然基金會（WWF）所承租的直升機在尼泊爾山區墜毀，機上24名人員全數罹難。由於尼泊爾政府決定移交干城章嘉峰（喜馬拉雅山中段）野生動物和棲息地保育工作給在地社區，在當地舉辦了一場移交典禮，直升機就在23日回程中墜毀。
這架俄屬私人直升機上的成員包括尼泊爾政府官員、記者、西方外交官、俄羅斯機組人員、及7名世界自然基金會的職員。
這架直升機在23日當地時間大約中午時分，離開靠近干城章嘉峰山腳的古薩村(Ghunsa)。干城章嘉峰是世界第三高峰，位處尼泊爾西邊與印度邊界。直升機原本要前往距離加德滿都190英里的塔普勒瓊縣，只有20分鐘的航程卻沒有抵達。
救援人員搜尋了將近2天，25日在距離出發地約1英里處一個非常偏僻的山區，發現失事地點。徒步走到失事地點的的救援人員證實沒有任何生還者。
世界自然基金會總裁詹姆士．列比表示：「我們損失的同仁將生命奉獻於保護尼泊爾及地球上最非凡的自然資源。他們的喪生是尼泊爾以及全世界保育的重大打擊。我們將非常懷念他們。」
機上的尼泊爾官員包括尼泊爾國家公園與野生動物保育部門主任，納拉揚．鮑德爾，以及森林與土壤保育部部長，高帕爾．賴伊。賴伊是將干城章嘉峰保護區(KCA)的經營權正式送交給當地社區議會的人。
干城章嘉峰保護區以豐富的生物多樣性、壯麗的景觀及充滿活力的文化遺產而聞名。這裡也是全球瀕危物種如雪豹、紅熊貓的棲地。這個主要由世界自然基金會推動的計畫，目標是要促進保育的成果及推動當地社區醫療服務、日常教育及創造收入的活動。
同樣也在機上不幸罹難的是世界自然基金會東方喜馬拉雅計畫主持人，諾布．雪帕，他曾表示：「這個決定顯示政府保證將權力交給當地社區，特別是在自然資源與公平分享利益的關注議題上。」
尼泊爾損失傑出的計畫人才、生物學家、植物學家、地理學家、生態學家、社會學家，及保育人員。保育學家貝拉伯．黎薩爾表示：「這是無法彌補的損失。」
A helicopter chartered by the international conservation group WWF has crashed in the mountains of Nepal, killing all 24 people on board, Nepalese authorities confirmed Monday. The helicopter crashed Saturday on its return from a ceremony where Nepal's government turned over conservation of the wildlife and habitat around the Himalayan mountain of Kanchenjunga to a coalition of local communities.
The group on board the private Russian helicopter included Nepalese government officials, journalists, Western diplomats, Russian crew members and seven WWF staffers.
The helicopter left a conservation site in Ghunsa, near the foot of Kanchenjunga around noon local time on Saturday. The mountain, which is the third tallest in the world, is in eastern Nepal near the border with India. The helicopter was due to land in Taplejung, about 190 miles from Katmandu, 20 minutes later but failed to arrive.
A rescue team searched for the helicopter for nearly two days before finding the crash site Monday, about a mile from its departure point in a very remote and mountainous area. Rescuers, who reached the wreckage on foot, confirmed there were no survivors.
"The colleagues we have lost had dedicated their lives to conserving the extraordinary natural resources of Nepal and of the Earth," said WWF International Director General James Leape. "Their deaths are a huge blow to conservation efforts in Nepal, and worldwide. They will be greatly missed."
The Nepalese officials on board included Narayan Poudel, director general of Nepal's Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation and Gopal Rai, state minister for forests and soil conservation. Rai was the official who formally handed over the management of Kanchenjunga Conservation Area (KCA) to a council of local communities.
The KCA is known for its rich biodiversity, spectacular scenery and vibrant cultural heritage. The area is home to globally threatened wildlife species such as the snow leopard and red panda. The project, largely driven by WWF, aims to foster conservation efforts and to support the local communities through health services, informal education and income generating activities.
"The decision shows the government's commitment to give power to local communities, especially with regard to natural resources and equitable sharing of benefits," said Mingma Norbu Sherpa, director of WWF's Eastern Himalayas Program, who was also on board the helicopter.
Nepal lost outstanding planners, biologists, botanists, geographers, ecologists, sociologists and conservation managers. "The loss is irreversible," says senior conservationist Bhairab Risal.
