정부, 네팔서 오늘도 헬기 2대 수색 추진…드론 투입도 검토

Korean government is mobilizing two helicopters to search for the nine missing citizens in Nepal, following widespread landslides and floods. In addition to the helicopters, the government is also considering the deployment of drones for the search operation. According to the foreign ministry, both helicopters the government has rented are awaiting permission from the Nepalese authorities to commence their search flights.

However, the Nepalese authorities have not yet granted the necessary permission. The government official stated that the decision to deploy either both helicopters or just one will depend on the permission granted by the Nepalese authorities and the weather conditions. On the previous day, a single government helicopter conducted two searches, but today, the search area will be expanded.

Nepal's government has imposed a general ban on civilian helicopter operations due to the high flood risk, but it has granted an exception for the government-hired helicopters. The previous government helicopter attempted to land but could not reach the difficult terrain and captured footage for further analysis. The Nepalese army did conduct a preliminary search, which found one Korean national.

When contacted by the Korean team, the Nepalese authorities informed that the helicopter was deployed to locate the missing Koreans. The army used the provided estimates and the deployment of the helicopter to search the area, but confirmed that they were unable to find any survivors. The government team is awaiting additional information from the Nepalese army regarding the current situation.

The second government rapid response team has also requested permission to deploy drones for the search, as drone searches require their permission as well. The team will decide on the drone search independently from the helicopter operation. The Korean government rapid response team announced that they will mobilize all available means, including widespread helicopter searches, precise drone searches, expanding the search area through ground routes, and encouraging Nepalese army search activities, if possible.

It is believed that the possibility of the 100+ Koreans isolated in a mountain tunnel is low, as they likely moved downstream during the flood, according to a corporate source.