Bodies found in wreckage of missing US Marine helicopter in Nepal
The wreckage of a U.S. Marine helicopter that went missing with six U.S. Marines and two Nepali service members on board has been found, U.S. Defense officials confirmed Friday.
“It is unlikely there are any survivors at this time,” said U.S. Marine Lt. Gen. John Wissler, commanding general on the ground in Nepal, and said he was unable to confirm the report from the Nepalese government, that three bodies had been discovered.
Three bodies were discovered in the burned wreckage of the helicopter, which was delivering aid to earthquake survivors, Nepalese Defense Secretary Ishwori Paudyal said.
Wissler said that due to the harsh conditions of the region, he was calling off the search for the evening. Wissler said the deaths would not affect the U.S. Marine mission to the Nepalese region to assist with aid following a series of deadly earthquakes.
The American chopper was spotted in the Gorthali area, at an altitude of 11,200 feet, said Nepalese Brig. Gen. Binoj Basnet. Its discovery follows intensive searches from the air and on foot, amid treacherous terrain.
The U.S. Joint Task Force confirmed the wreckage, eight miles north of Charikot, was that of the missing UH-1Y Huey helicopter. It has not yet commented on the reported discovery of bodies.
Four pararescuemen and one combat rescue officer were on the ground, the Joint Task Force statement said. “The assessment of the site is ongoing and a thorough investigation will be conducted,” it said.
The helicopter lost contact Tuesday evening as it helped with relief efforts in earthquake-ravaged Nepal, Pentagon officials said.
Radio transmissions indicated its crew was having some type of fuel problem before it went missing near Charikot, roughly 45 miles (72 kilometers) east of the capital of Kathmandu.
The helicopter was delivering humanitarian aid after the devastating earthquake that struck the nation on April 25, killing thousands of people. Another strong earthquake hit Nepal on Tuesday afternoon, causing more damage and casualties.
The area where it lost contact is near the epicenter of Tuesday’s magnitude-7.3 earthquake.
About 300 American personnel are on the ground in Nepal helping with earthquake relief efforts.
The death toll from the two earthquakes is now 8,460, Nepal’s Home Ministry said Friday, of which 117 are from Tuesday’s quake.
Another 6,271 people are still receiving medical treatment, of whom 1,700 were injured in the second quake.
