Malaysia's Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) MAS01 safely landed at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal, around noon local time on September 5, 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4]. The team completed arrival procedures including logistics clearance and personnel verification by 4:30 p.m. the same day [1, 2, 3, 4]. Comprising 11 officers and personnel, the contingent departed Malaysia earlier that morning on September 5 at about 9 a.m. aboard a Royal Malaysian Air Force A400M aircraft from Subang Air Base [2, 5, 3, 4].
The SMART team brought 12.4 tonnes of equipment with them, including rescue and detection gear, communication systems, high-capacity drones, specialised tunnel rescue tools, and vehicles such as a four-wheel-drive and a 10-tonne cargo truck [2, 6, 3]. Upon arrival, they headed to the Malaysian Embassy in Kathmandu for a briefing and to coordinate deployment arrangements with the embassy and local emergency agencies [1, 2, 3, 4].
As of September 7, the SMART team was en route to Trishuli Bazar from Kathmandu to begin search and rescue operations, escorted by the Nepalese Army on a journey expected to take about three hours [5]. The mission focuses on humanitarian relief, disaster assistance, search and rescue, and locating Malaysian citizens affected by recent floods and landslides [2, 6, 7, 4].
Nepal's flooding and landslides have left over 5,000 people missing and 1,300 confirmed dead, including 55 Malaysians reported missing [5]. United Sikhs Malaysia volunteers are working closely with SMART and local officials to provide emergency aid and build temporary shelters in flood-affected areas near the Nepal-Tibet border such as Dhunche and Syapru Besi [6, 7]. The group has prepared mosquito nets and tarpaulins worth about RM28,000 for approximately 300 families and delivered these to a gurdwara in Kathmandu [6, 7]. Raspreet Kaur, United Sikhs Malaysia's legal director, said, "We are coordinating with each other. The team remains focused on reaching the affected communities safely and providing practical assistance wherever possible." [6]
The Malaysian government has pledged US$1 million (RM4.2 million) to assist Nepal's disaster victims and recovery efforts [7]. Nadma and the Malaysian Embassy in Nepal will coordinate daily mission reports and updates throughout the operation [1, 2, 3, 4]. United Sikhs Malaysia Team A will stay in Nepal for about two weeks, with additional teams on standby as needed [6, 7].
