Nepal's First Female Helicopter Captain Leads High-Risk Rescue Missions

(MENAFN- Bangladesh Monitor) Dhaka: Nepal's first female helicopter captain, Priya Adhikari, has flown around 100 rescue missions in less than a week as helicopters race to evacuate survivors from areas devastated by flash floods and landslides.

The 41-year-old high-altitude rescue pilot has been operating over some of the worst-affected parts of the Himalayan region, including Timure in Rasuwa district, where floodwaters and landslides have caused widespread destruction.

As per reports, Adhikari described the operation as one of the most demanding of her career. She said the disaster was in some ways more challenging than Nepal's 2015 earthquake because much of the destruction was concentrated within a narrow valley.

Adhikari has years of experience flying rescue missions in difficult Himalayan terrain. Her work has included evacuating injured climbers from elevations of about 6,200 meters.

Her path to aviation began in a different field. After studying environmental science and working as cabin crew, she became interested in helicopter flying following a joyride. She later traveled to the Philippines for flight training and became a professional helicopter pilot in 2017.

The current rescue operation has presented pilots with a combination of difficult weather, unstable terrain and intense air traffic. About 20 helicopters have been operating around Timure, with several aircraft sometimes attempting to land in the same confined area.

Adhikari said pilots must remain in constant radio contact to coordinate landings and prevent collisions. Mud left by floods and landslides poses another major hazard, as apparently solid ground may be too unstable to support a helicopter.

In some locations, pilots cannot even switch off their engines after landing because of the unstable surface. Survivors must therefore be loaded quickly before the aircraft takes off again.

More than 200 people were evacuated from Timure during the first two days of the operation. Alongside civilian aircraft, Nepal Army helicopters have also been involved.

Adhikari said the human impact of the disaster has been difficult to process. During flights, she has seen bodies scattered across devastated areas while survivors waited for rescue aircraft.

Despite the exhaustion, she said the pilots remain focused on their training and mission.“We've been trained for this,” she said, as per reports, reflecting the determination driving the rescue effort.

Spread the word More from AviationView All Latest NewsSee All Nepal puts flood damage at USD 2.56b as rebuilding beginsTourism7 minutes ago InterContinental Dhaka introduces signature staycation packageHotels13 minutes ago Nepal's first female helicopter captain leads high-risk rescue missionsAviation19 minutes ago Zubair Faroque Chowdhury appointed Hotel Manager at Radisson Blu DhakaHotels28 minutes ago Dhaka Airport import cargo operations continue without scannerCargo and Logistics37 minutes ago Pan Pacific Sonargaon Dhaka offers last-minute stay packageHotelsabout 1 hour ago Bangladeshi firms showcase apparel capabilities at Paris trade fairLife & Styleabout 1 hour ago Renaissance Dhaka brings Italian flavors to DhakaHotelsabout 4 hours ago Bangladesh mission issues special instructions for citizens visiting KolkataVisa and Travel UpdatesSep 3, 2026 Emirates introduces world's first electric Premium Economy seat with full-height privacy screenAirlines and RoutesSep 3, 2026 Nepal launches campaign to reassure global travelers after devastating flood disasterTourismSep 3, 2026 SpiceJet to induct 20 leased aircraft ahead of winter peakAviationSep 3, 2026 AirAsia, Pegasus launch first codeshare as Istanbul link expandsTravel TechSep 3, 2026 GoPlane marks three years of operations in BangladeshTourismSep 3, 2026 Tata Sons approves over INR 10,000 crore boost for Air IndiaAirlines and RoutesSep 3, 2026 Pakistan cancels 50 pilot licenses, suspends 33 amid fake license probeAirlines and RoutesSep 3, 2026 Malaysia Airlines resumes direct Kuala Lumpur-Fukuoka flightsAirlines and RoutesSep 3, 2026 Etihad to operate Gothenburg route year-round amid strong demandAirlines and RoutesSep 3, 2026 UK export finance agency offers up to £2bn support for Bangladesh buyersNRB ConnectSep 3, 2026 Emirates marks 15 years of US Open partnership with new luxury hospitality suiteAviationabout 5 hours ago UK celebrates Bangladesh's next generation of Chevening, Commonwealth scholarsNRB ConnectSep 2, 2026 Rooppur NPP Moves closer to grid connection with advanced NLDC IntegrationOthersSep 2, 2026 Hotel Sarina Dhaka names Patrick Beck as new General ManagerHotelsSep 2, 2026 Two service bridges on Dhaka-Ashulia Expressway open to trafficTourismSep 2, 2026 HC pauses Cox's Bazar beach road workTourismSep 2, 2026 Lahore selected as SCO Tourism and Cultural Capital for 2026-27TourismSep 2, 2026 Bangladesh seeks Japanese investment to develop heritage tourismTourismSep 2, 2026 Govt seeks BDT 902cr more to operationalize HSIA's T3AviationSep 2, 2026 InterContinental Dhaka, JBCCI ink MoU on hospitality partnershipHotelsSep 2, 2026 Trump to Tarique: 'Boeing will not let you down' after Bangladesh aircraft purchaseFleet and AircraftSep 1, 2026 US envoy visits Parbatipur railway workshop, highlights American locomotivesCruise and RailSep 1, 2026 No pressure behind additional Boeing purchase: State Minister HumaiunFleet and AircraftSep 1, 2026 Minister calls for investment-, passenger-friendly Civil Aviation Rules 2026AviationSep 1, 2026 Global air passenger demand up 0.2pc, cargo traffic rises 3.9pcAviationSep 1, 2026 SalamAir launches direct Muscat-Sylhet serviceAviationSep 1, 2026 Nepal disaster puts tourism under severe strainTourismSep 1, 2026 Prime Bank, Rancon Car Hub partner to offer customer benefitsBanking and FinanceSep 1, 2026 Apex introduces biodegradable shopping bagsLife & StyleSep 1, 2026 House of Ahmed opens new Gulshan outlet with expanded luxury visionLife & StyleSep 1, 2026 Bishwo Rang rolls out Puja shopping campaign with special discountsLife & StyleSep 1, 2026 Asia-Pacific travelers remain upbeat about travel despite global uncertaintiesTravel DiariesSep 1, 2026 Bangladesh seeks bigger share of Thai tourist marketTourismSep 1, 2026 Sundarbans set to reopen after three-month closureTourismSep 1, 2026 Temasek backs SIA's Air India investment amid funding talksAirlines and RoutesSep 1, 2026 SalamAir to launch direct Salalah-Chattogram flightsAirlines and RoutesSep 1, 2026 Pan Pacific Sonargaon Dhaka marks 45 years of hospitalityHotelsSep 1, 2026 Bangladesh's hotels look beyond peak season as resorts chase year-round guestsHotelsSep 1, 2026 Saudia Cargo adds Dhaka-Frankfurt freighter service to boost Europe tradeCargo and LogisticsSep 1, 2026 Frequency before expansion: Strategic imperative for BimanAviationSep 1, 2026 Turkish Airlines offers free Istanbul hotel stays to Dhaka passengersAviationAug 31, 2026 Most PopularSee All Turkish Airlines offers free Istanbul hotel stays to Dhaka passengersAviationAug 31, 2026 Frequency before expansion: Strategic imperative for BimanAviationSep 1, 2026 Mutasim Billah Faruqui appointed Bangladesh Tourism Board CEOTourismAug 31, 2026 Emirates to introduce Premium Economy service to Mauritius from 1 SeptemberAviationAug 29, 2026 Sea Pearl, Trust Bank sign deal offering discounts on resort staysHotelsAug 30, 2026 Evercare Hospital offers exclusive privileges to EBL Priority customersBanking and FinanceAug 30, 2026 SalamAir launches direct Muscat-Sylhet serviceAviationSep 1, 2026 Rooppur NPP Moves closer to grid connection with advanced NLDC IntegrationOthersSep 2, 2026 UK export finance agency offers up to £2bn support for Bangladesh buyersNRB ConnectSep 3, 2026 Minister calls for investment-, passenger-friendly Civil Aviation Rules 2026AviationSep 1, 2026 Trump to Tarique: 'Boeing will not let you down' after Bangladesh aircraft purchaseFleet and AircraftSep 1, 2026 Gulf Air introduces new Business Class amenity kitAviationAug 31, 2026 Thailand targets 5pc tourism revenue growth in 2027TourismAug 30, 2026 Nepal disaster puts tourism under severe strainTourismSep 1, 2026 Temasek backs SIA's Air India investment amid funding talksAirlines and RoutesSep 1, 2026 SalamAir to launch direct Salalah-Chattogram flightsAirlines and RoutesSep 1, 2026 Bangladesh seeks Japanese investment to develop heritage tourismTourismSep 2, 2026 Bangladesh mission issues special instructions for citizens visiting KolkataVisa and Travel UpdatesSep 3, 2026 Nepal launches campaign to reassure global travelers after devastating flood disasterTourismSep 3, 2026 US envoy visits Parbatipur railway workshop, highlights American locomotivesCruise and RailSep 1, 2026 Bangladesh's hotels look beyond peak season as resorts chase year-round guestsHotelsSep 1, 2026 Govt seeks BDT 902cr more to operationalize HSIA's T3AviationSep 2, 2026 Saudia Cargo adds Dhaka-Frankfurt freighter service to boost Europe tradeCargo and LogisticsSep 1, 2026 GoPlane marks three years of operations in BangladeshTourismSep 3, 2026 Tata Sons approves over INR 10,000 crore boost for Air IndiaAirlines and RoutesSep 3, 2026 Hotel Sarina Dhaka names Patrick Beck as new General ManagerHotelsSep 2, 2026 No pressure behind additional Boeing purchase: State Minister HumaiunFleet and AircraftSep 1, 2026 Emirates introduces world's first electric Premium Economy seat with full-height privacy screenAirlines and RoutesSep 3, 2026 SpiceJet to induct 20 leased aircraft ahead of winter peakAviationSep 3, 2026 Bishwo Rang rolls out Puja shopping campaign with special discountsLife & StyleSep 1, 2026 UK celebrates Bangladesh's next generation of Chevening, Commonwealth scholarsNRB ConnectSep 2, 2026 Lahore selected as SCO Tourism and Cultural Capital for 2026-27TourismSep 2, 2026 Global air passenger demand up 0.2pc, cargo traffic rises 3.9pcAviationSep 1, 2026 Bangladesh seeks bigger share of Thai tourist marketTourismSep 1, 2026 Sundarbans set to reopen after three-month closureTourismSep 1, 2026 Prime Bank, Rancon Car Hub partner to offer customer benefitsBanking and FinanceSep 1, 2026 Pan Pacific Sonargaon Dhaka marks 45 years of hospitalityHotelsSep 1, 2026 Malaysia Airlines resumes direct Kuala Lumpur-Fukuoka flightsAirlines and RoutesSep 3, 2026 HC pauses Cox's Bazar beach road workTourismSep 2, 2026 House of Ahmed opens new Gulshan outlet with expanded luxury visionLife & StyleSep 1, 2026 Etihad to operate Gothenburg route year-round amid strong demandAirlines and RoutesSep 3, 2026 InterContinental Dhaka, JBCCI ink MoU on hospitality partnershipHotelsSep 2, 2026 Two service bridges on Dhaka-Ashulia Expressway open to trafficTourismSep 2, 2026 Pakistan cancels 50 pilot licenses, suspends 33 amid fake license probeAirlines and RoutesSep 3, 2026 AirAsia, Pegasus launch first codeshare as Istanbul link expandsTravel TechSep 3, 2026 Apex introduces biodegradable shopping bagsLife & StyleSep 1, 2026 Asia-Pacific travelers remain upbeat about travel despite global uncertaintiesTravel DiariesSep 1, 2026 Emirates marks 15 years of US Open partnership with new luxury hospitality suiteAviationabout 5 hours ago

MENAFN05092026000163011034ID1111624785