Why were helicopter search plans canceled for the nine missing Koreans in Nepal?

The search was canceled after local authorities declined requests to use the helicopters because of safety issues. The aircraft were placed on standby after the Nepali government did not grant flight authorization.

Who are the nine Koreans still missing in Nepal floods?

The missing people are six employees of Doosan Enerbility Co. and three employees of Korea South-East Power Co. They were working at a hydroelectric power plant construction site in Rasuwa district when the floods hit.

What happened to the helicopter search effort in Nepal on Saturday?

A government-charted helicopter carrying four rapid response team members flew twice from Kathmandu toward the flood site. It was reportedly the only non-Nepali aircraft cleared to fly that day, but it failed to land and the search was carried out visually instead.

Korean helicopter search canceled for 9 missing in Nepal floods

Listen

Summary

The government and Doosan Enerbility canceled plans Sunday to send two helicopters to search for nine Koreans missing in Nepal’s floods after local authorities declined flight requests over safety concerns. The helicopters had been expected to remain on standby until further notice. A government-chartered helicopter had flown twice Saturday from Kathmandu but reportedly could not land. Six Doosan Enerbility employees and three Korea South-East Power Co. workers remain missing in Rasuwa district.

Key Facts

Two helicopters had been scheduled for the search, one chartered by the government’s rapid response team and the other by Doosan Enerbility.
Flight authorization was not granted by the Nepali government because of safety issues.
On Saturday, a government-charted helicopter carrying four rapid response team members flew twice from Kathmandu toward the flood site.
Six Doosan Enerbility employees and three Korea South-East Power Co. workers remain missing after the floods struck Nepal’s north-central Himalayan border area Wednesday.
Ten other Doosan workers who had been isolated at a different location were moved to safety.

By Yonhap

Published Aug 30, 2026 5:11 pm KST
Updated Aug 31, 2026 7:47 am KST

Korean rescue officials get on a helicopter at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal, Saturday, to conduct search operations. Courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The government and Doosan Enerbility Co. canceled plans Sunday to send two helicopters to search for nine Koreans missing in Nepal's devastating floods after local authorities declined their requests over safety issues, officials said.

Two helicopters had been scheduled to be used: one chartered by the government's rapid response team and the other chartered by Doosan Enerbility.

Flight authorization was not granted by the Nepali government, however, putting them on standby until further notice.

On Saturday, a government-charted helicopter carrying four rapid response team members flew twice from Kathmandu toward the flood site, becoming reportedly the only non-Nepali aircraft cleared to fly that day.

The helicopter reportedly failed to land, and the search was instead conducted visually, with footage from the flight analyzed.

Six employees of Doosan Enerbility and three of Korea South-East Power Co. remain missing since the massive floods struck Nepal's north-central Himalayan border area Wednesday.

They had been working at a hydroelectric power plant construction site in the Rasuwa district when the floods hit the region.

Ten other Doosan workers who had been isolated at a different location have been moved to safety.

Explore More