Kathmandu: Doosan Enerbility Co. announced on Monday that one of its helicopters has rejoined the search efforts for nine South Koreans who remain missing after devastating floods swept through Nepal. This development followed clearance from local authorities, marking the first time the company has been able to deploy its helicopter for this mission.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the helicopter is one of two that Doosan Enerbility has secured to aid in the search, part of a total of six helicopters allocated by South Korea for the operation. The aircraft took off at approximately 11 a.m. local time, heading towards the hydroelectric power plant construction site in the Rasuwa district, where the nine missing individuals-comprising six Doosan employees and three from Korea South-East Power Co.-were last seen when floods and landslides hit the region last Wednesday.
While conducting an aerial survey of the site, the search crew onboard was tasked with locating any signs of the missing individuals and capturing video footage for further analysis. This mission marked the first time since Saturday that a South Korean helicopter had been permitted to operate in the area, following a previous deployment of a government-leased helicopter that conducted two flights in one day.
Earlier on Monday, a government joint rapid response team initiated a ground search, as reported by Seoul's foreign ministry. The team, consisting of ministry officials, police, and fire authorities, had been dispatched to Nepal the previous week. They planned to travel to Ramche, a location approximately 1-2 kilometers from where the individuals went missing, and were prepared to camp overnight.
The decision for a ground search came after the team was unable to obtain helicopter clearance due to adverse weather conditions and a temporary ban on foreign helicopters by Nepalese authorities. "As we did not receive helicopter clearance Sunday, some team members left by road and moved as close as possible to the accident site," a ministry official noted. The team also planned to utilize drones for the search, pending local authority approval.
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun engaged in a phone conversation with his Nepalese counterpart, Shisir Khanal, urging close cooperation for the expedited rescue of the missing individuals, as per Cho's office. Cho also expressed gratitude towards the Nepalese government for rescuing 10 other South Korean nationals initially stranded by the floods and explored potential assistance avenues for Nepal.
Khanal reciprocated the sentiment, appreciating South Korea's solidarity and support, and both ministers agreed to maintain ongoing communication concerning rescue and recovery operations. The two ministers had previously spoken last Thursday.
On Sunday, South Korean officials reached out to the chief of the Nepal Police and representatives of the Nepal Army. The response team also conducted interviews with Nepali survivors to gather information on the movements of the missing South Koreans.
The catastrophic floods have claimed more than 800 lives and left around 3,000 people unaccounted for, as reported by foreign media outlets.