Kathmandu, Feb. 27 -- Nepal's Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Rabindra Adhikari and six others were killed Wednesday when a private helicopter crashed in eastern Nepal's mountainous Taplejung district, the latest aviation accident in the Himalayan nation.

Besides the 39-year-old tourism minister, the Air Dynasty helicopter was carrying Nepal's prominent aviation and hospitality entrepreneur Ang Tsering Sherpa, Prime Minister's personal aide Yubaraj Dahal, two senior Civil Aviation Authority (CAAN) officials and a Nepal Army personnel.

Rescue workers retrieved the bodies of Adhikari, the pilot and five other passengers from a hillside in Taplejung district where the Air Dynasty chopper went down.

Tourism Ministry spokesperson confir...