Irishman dies in Indian helicopter crash

AN Irishman was among four people who died in a helicopter crash in India yesterday.

There were no survivors of the accident which claimed the life of 35-year-old John Murphy who had been living in Japan.

The pilot and passengers were en route to a ski resort near the Himalayas in northern India when the helicopter experienced difficulties and hurtled to the ground.

The Indian authorities revealed the tragedy was a private skiing company’s third helicopter crash within the past 12 months. However, there were no casualties in the previous two crash-landing accidents.

The helicopter, owned by the Himalayan Heli Service Company, lifted off in clear weather from a helipad at a hotel near Manali but lost contact with air traffic control shortly afterwards.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said last night the Irish consulate in India was liaising with the dead man’s family.

However, a spokesman said, in the interest of confidentiality, it was not department policy to release personal details about the victim.

Along with the pilot, Kishen Tomar and Mr Murphy, the other dead were Colombian Xoch Castino and a local hotel receptionist Madhavi Gautam.