Nine South Korean nationals from Korea South-East Power and Doosan Enerbility went missing after flash floods struck Nepal's Rasuwa region on August 26-27, 2026 [1, 2]. South Korea deployed a rescue team with two helicopters—one government-chartered and another from Doosan Enerbility—to search for the missing in Nepal [1, 2]. On August 29, South Korean helicopters conducted visual searches from Kathmandu to the flood zone but could not land at the site due to conditions [1, 2]. Meanwhile, 10 Doosan Enerbility employees were rescued from a separate location in Nepal [1, 2].
Seventeen Malaysians remain missing in Nepal's Rasuwa district as of September 1, 2026 [3]. Fishtail Tours & Travels arranged a private helicopter to search at the Malaysians’ last known location that day. Roshan Panday from Fishtail said, "Today I am sending a helicopter privately. Let's see if we find any traces," adding that they plan to land near the last spotted coordinates if possible but noted, "The weather is not so cooperative and also helicopter schedules are mostly hampered because of SOS calls." [3]
Helicopter rescue operations in Nepal have faced delays and difficulties due to adverse weather and an influx of emergency calls from flood-affected areas [1, 3]. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun held an emergency meeting and instructed the embassy in Kathmandu to coordinate closely with Nepali authorities for rescue efforts [2].
The flash floods and landslides in Nepal and neighboring China have caused over 600 deaths, with around 3,000 people still unaccounted for [2].
Search operations continue amid difficult conditions as authorities and rescuers work to locate missing nationals and others affected by the disaster.
