KATHMANDU: The government on Wednesday formed a four-member probe committee under the coordination of Yagya Prasad Gautam, former secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, to investigate the Air Dynasty chopper crash.

The committee includes Dipak Prasad Bastola, brigadier general of the Nepal Army, Pramod Lama, former colonel of Nepal Army and Buddhi Sagar Lamichhane, joint secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation as members.

An emergency cabinet meeting held at the Prime Minister’ Official Residence, Baluwatar held this evening took a decision to this effect.

Meanwhile, the cabinet also decided to a grant public holiday tomorrow to mourn the death of those killed in the chopper accident.

An ill-fated chopper of Air Dynasty burst into flames and crashed near Pathibhara in Taplejung district, killing all the seven people including Tourism Rabindra Adhikari on board, on Wednesday afternoon.

Adhikari was flying back to Kathmandu after offering pooja at Pathibhara Temple when the accident took place around at 12:45 pm.

The chopper had left for Tehrathum to carry out a feasibility study of the proposed airport at Chuhandanda in the district.