The Pentagon could not confirm Nepal news reports that the missing U.S. Marine Corps helicopter had been found.
The UH-1Y “Huey” copter went missing around 7 p.m. Tuesday Nepal time near the city of Charikot, while it was conducting humanitarian assistance.
The Pahilo Post, a Nepali-language news portal, indicated Wednesday the crew and helicopter had landed safely near an utility substation, however the Pentagon could not confirm those reports as of 9 a.m Wednesday.
The airborne search for the helicopter and its crew of eight — six U.S. Marines and two Nepalese soldiers — was suspended overnight but resumed early Wednesday.
The crew was dropping off supplies, including rice and tarps for survivors of Nepal’s devastating 7.9 magnitude earthquake April 25 that killed an estimated 9,000 people.
The Huey reached its first location and lost contact before reaching the second location.
The Pentagon said Tuesday no distress call was heard or beacon detected from the helicopter, providing some hope the crew could have landed in the region’s formidable terrain, which could be making it hard to get a signal out.
