Or did they...?
Interesting...
Nepal government rejects Eurocopter record claim
BBC Monitoring South Asia - text of report by Nepalese state-owned newspaper Gorkhapatra on 3 June
Kathmandu, 2 June: Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has said the claims made by Eurocopter that it landed on the summit of Mt Everest is a figment of imagination and misleading. The ministry in a statement issued today [2 June] rejected the claim.
The French Company Eurocopter in a press conference organized in Paris had claimed that Equirel [as transliterated] A-Star AS 350 B, third series helicopter had landed on the summit of Mt Everest on 14 May.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) in a press statement said its attention had been seriously drawn towards the report. CAAN had earlier barred Eurocopter from carrying out any further flights in the area citing violation of the conditions of an agreement during test flights.
The helicopter was ordered to return to Kathmandu following the breach of agreement. Following the return of the helicopter, CAAN formed an investigating team, which has already completed its report.
During the investigation helicopter pilot Capatain Didier Delsale [as transliterated] had given a written statement saying it was impossible to land on the summit of Mt Everest because of the terrain. The CAAN says the written statement of the pilot proves that the helicopter had not landed on the summit.