Malaysia’s SMART team arrives in Nepal disaster zone, begins drone reconnaissance

Kuala Lumpur, September 8 — The Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) has landed in Dhunche, Nepal, to set up a forward base and commence drone reconnaissance in the disaster-stricken area. The 10-strong team, headed by Inspector Abdullah Ahmad Sobri, flew to the site aboard an MI-17 helicopter, leaving from the Nepal Army Tactical Headquarters in Trishuli at 1 pm Malaysian time and touching down in Dhunche around 45 minutes later.

Dhunche functions as the tactical forward base for disaster management in the Rasuwa area, encompassing Timure, Syafrubesi, Dhunche, and Mailung. Following their arrival, the SMART team promptly established a forward base, functioning as a staging area and temporary shelter, should operational circumstances necessitate. Today's initial focus was on drone reconnaissance, divided into two groups covering four sectors between Syafrubesi and Timure.

However, the operation, a collaborative effort between SMART personnel and the Nepalese Army, encountered difficulties due to incessant rainfall, hindering drone flight operations on the ground. Consequently, the team is continually assessing optimal methods for aerial image data collection, which will later be analyzed to aid further operational planning.

The MAS01 SMART team, part of the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) mission, had arrived in Kathmandu the previous Saturday on a Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) A400M aircraft. They also transported 12.4 tonnes of search and rescue (SAR) equipment, encompassing high-capacity drones, communication systems, and tunnel rescue gear, to aid operations in the flood-ravaged nation.