Nine South Korean nationals remain unaccounted for at a hydropower plant construction site in Rasuwa district, Nepal, as rescue teams struggled on Friday, 28 August to reach the area amid fears of further flooding. Helicopter operations — the only viable route after roads and bridges were washed away — have been grounded pending flight approval from Nepalese authorities.

Rescue Teams on Ground, Helicopters Still Grounded

The South Korean government's joint rapid response team landed in Kathmandu late Thursday, followed by corporate response teams from Doosan Enerbility Co. and Korea South-East Power Co., who arrived early Friday. Together, the government and the two companies have secured six helicopters for search and rescue operations.

'Helicopter travel is essential to reach the area, as roads and bridges have been washed away. But Nepalese authorities have restricted private helicopter operations over concerns about the possibility of additional flooding,' a ministry official said.

Who Is Missing and What Happened

The nine missing workers — six employees of Doosan Enerbility and three from Korea South-East Power — were stationed at a construction site in Rasuwa district when a massive flash flood and mudslide struck on Wednesday morning. Their offices and accommodations, situated in a relatively low-lying section of the site, are believed to have been swept away by the surge.

Notably, 10 other Doosan workers who had been isolated in a separate area have since been brought to safety. Nine of them were airlifted by a Nepalese military helicopter on Thursday, while the remaining worker — a Doosan site manager — was moved to safety on Friday. Their onward travel to Kathmandu remained unconfirmed due to local conditions.

Families Plead for Immediate Action

Relatives of the missing workers addressed a press briefing in Seoul on Friday, urging the government to deploy helicopters without further delay. 'Our only request is to get the helicopters flying as soon as possible,' family members said. 'We believe today is the golden time. Please send the helicopters.' Nearly 48 hours had elapsed since the disaster struck when the families made their appeal.

Broader Disaster: Nearly 500 Dead, 1,500 Missing in Nepal

The catastrophe, centred in Nepal's north-central Himalayan region near the Nepal-Tibet border, has killed nearly 500 people and left more than 1,500 others unaccounted for, according to foreign media reports. Nepal's disaster authorities have warned that water levels in a newly formed upstream lake are rising as flood debris blocks the river, raising the risk of a dam-burst scenario. Residents in downstream areas and rescue workers have been urged to stay away from riverbanks and high-risk zones.

Seoul Weighs Additional Relief Measures

The South Korean government is considering dispatching an overseas emergency relief team to bolster search and rescue efforts. Seoul has formally notified Nepal of its intention and is in active discussions with Nepalese authorities. The South Korean defence ministry has also decided to deploy a KC-330 Cygnus multirole tanker transport aircraft to ferry relief equipment and supplies, with operational details being coordinated with the foreign ministry.

With the window for locating survivors narrowing, the pace of diplomatic clearances and weather conditions in the Himalayan region will be critical in determining the outcome of the rescue mission.