WWF India condoles death of WWF Nepal personnel

New Delhi, Sep 26 (UNI) The India chapter of the World Wildlife Fund has expressed shock and deeply condoled the deaths in last week's helicopter crash in Nepal in which 24 persons, including seven WWF personnel, were killed.

''Besides being eminent conservationists, the WWF personnel were also fellow colleagues and friends. Therefore the loss is very personal to us at WWF India. It is also a great loss for conservation, the area in which they dedicated their lives.

We will miss them dearly'', WWF India Secretary General and CEO Ravi Singh said.

The helicopter was on its way back from a trip to a conservation site at Ghunsa, in Kangchenjunga, in eastern Nepal near the border with India. It was due to land in Taplejung 20 minutes later but crashed on the way.

The helicopter was returning from an inauguration ceremony which saw the Nepalese government turn over the conservation of the wildlife and habitats surrounding Kangchenjunga (the world's third-highest mountain) to a coalition of local communities.

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