Authorities in Nepal have arrested six executives from travel and mountain rescue companies accused of orchestrating fraudulent helicopter rescues in the Himalayas to extract millions of dollars from international insurance firms, officials said Monday.

The arrests were carried out last week by Nepal’s Central Investigation Bureau, which alleges the suspects submitted fabricated rescue claims totaling nearly $20 million between 2022 and 2025. All six suspects are Nepali nationals and were associated with three separate travel and rescue operators.

According to bureau spokesperson Shiva Kumar Shrestha, the investigation is ongoing.

Investigators say the companies submitted fake documentation to insurers, including helicopter passenger and cargo manifests, medical invoices and hospital reports, to support the false claims.

Authorities allege that one company fabricated 171 rescues out of 1,248 claimed incidents, resulting in more than $10 million in improper insurance payouts. A second company is accused of inventing 75 of 471 rescues and collecting about $8 million, while a third allegedly filed 71 false claims worth more than $1 million.

Nepal draws thousands of climbers each year to its Himalayan peaks, along with tens of thousands of trekkers heading to base camps. While fatalities occur annually, hundreds of climbers also require rescues due to altitude sickness, exhaustion or other medical emergencies.

Because of limited road access and sparse medical facilities in the high mountains, helicopter evacuations are often the only option, making rescues costly. As a result, climbers seeking permits are required to carry insurance that covers helicopter evacuation.

Officials say the alleged fraud exploited that system, inflating rescue numbers and costs to illegally profit from insurers covering high-altitude expeditions.