Source: UNMIN
With deep sorrow, UNMIN is able to confirm the identities of the three Nepali UN personnel who died in the helicopter crash in Ramechhap district yesterday, after having notified the families of the deceased. Bhim Bahadur Gurung and Rabindra Khaniya were liaison officer and language assistant respectively with the UNMIN Arms Monitoring Office; Rajesh Maharjan was an UNMIN vehicle mechanic. Four international arms monitors died in the accident, from Gambia, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea and Sweden. The air crew, from a Russian company, comprised two Russians and one Belarussian.
The United Nations has notified the respective Permanent Missions of each of the countries of deceased UN international personnel, and they are in the process of contacting the families. An UNMIN team left Kathmandu by road last night and is now at the accident site. Investigation is primarily a matter for Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority, with the participation of UNMIN and the aircraft company.
UNMIN is in the process of recovering the remains of the deceased so that they can be returned to Kathmandu at the earliest opportunity, and will make all necessary arrangements to ensure that the wishes of the families in this matter are facilitated.
“On behalf of the Secretary-General, I express my deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. They died while working to sustain peace in Nepal, and UNMIN will continue in the midst of this tragedy to apply its best efforts to this purpose,” said Ian Martin, Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Nepal.
Background from the first press releases, Monday evening:
At about 4pm today, Nepal time, UNMIN lost contact with a Mission helicopter which was returning to Kathmandu from the Maoist cantonment site at Sindhuli in the east of the country. UNMIN has had contact with local authorities at Ramechhap district, who advise that a helicopter has crashed in the vicinity of the Bethan village, that the helicopter has been located and that there are fatalities. UNMIN has sent a party by road to the site of the reported crash to confirm information.
UNMIN is able to confirm that the helicopter which crashed in Ramechhap district late this afternoon was carrying seven UN personnel and three crew members.
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