NA confirms 5 civilians on board crashed US chopper

Kin unhappy at being kept in dark

KATHMANDU, June 5 : As Nepal Army (NA) confirms that five civilians also were on board the US Marines helicopter that crashed in Ghorthali of Sindhupalchowk district on May 13, the kin of the deceased have expressed their profound unhappiness at being kept in the dark for so many days.

The Huey chopper, which crashed at an altitude of 11,200 feet in the northern part of Kalinchowk ridge along the Sindhupalchowk-Dolakha border, was carriying two NA personnel and six US Marines, according to preliminary investigations.

NA officials and other authorities had so far been tightlipped about the fate of the five civilians even as their kin had been enquiring frantically about their status.

"Though the authorities have confirmed that our kin died in the crash, we are not happy with the government authorities for keeping mum about the civilians on board," said Achuttam Katwal, brother of Dhurba Katuwal, one of the civilians killed in the crash. The others confirmed dead are Lok Bahadur Katwal, Shiva Khatri and Yam Bahadur Khatri of Laaduk and Sabitri Siwakoti of Lamidanda along with the eight military personnel.

After 24 days of the crash, the NA Directorate of Public Relations issued a press statement saying that the deaths of the civilians were confirmed after conducting DNA tests of the human remains recovered from the crash site.

An investigation team comprising Nepal Army and US experts jointly carried out investigations on the samples collected from the crash site. The DNA tests were carried out after collecting saliva samples from the kin of the missing civilians.

The wreckage of the US chopper that went missing while delivering relief to quake-affected areas was spotted in remote mountain terrain following information from a local man four days later. The wreckage and some body parts were recovered after a few days of the crash.

The bodies of the US Marines and NA Captain Tapendra Rawal were handed over to their respective families but the body of NA Warrant Officer Basanta Bahadur Titara and the bodies of the five civilians are yet to be handed over to the respective families. They are likely to receive the bodies on Sunday. "We hope to be told about the reason for withholding information about the civilians on board the chopper when we receive the bodies," he said.

The families of the deceased said over the phone that they want justice from the government and other authorities concerned and relief based on international standards.

The cause of the crash is still unknown.

All international military personnel return home: NA

NA on Friday said all international military missions have returned home after providing assistance for over a month following the massive quake. About 4,316 personnel from 18 different countries had come to Nepal to assist in the post-quake recovery and rehabilitation efforts.

According to NA Directorate of Public Relations, the role of international military missions in the post-quake situation was praiseworthy.

"We would like to thank all the military missions for their cordial support in this difficult time for Nepal and the Nepalese," the statement further said, adding that the assistance would help strengthening the relations with the assisting countries.