Ask government to regulate search and rescue

KATHMANDU, Jan 29: Helicopter operators have claimed that they are not a part of fake rescue racket as claimed by national and international media outlets.

Speaking at a press meet in Kathmandu on Monday, Yograj Kandel Sharma, general secretary of Helicopter Society of Nepal, said that news reports about involvement of helicopter operators in the fake rescue scam have affected their business. "We have felt that even the government is against us," Sharma added. "Instead of thanking us for our contribution in conducting search and rescue missions, the government is wrongfully accusing us."

Sharma said that the society was aware of the involvement of some handful of individuals in fake rescue scam.  "Some individuals are involved in unethical business with mala fide intention. But helicopter operators are not involved in such unethical acts," he maintained.

Helicopter operators say that huge investments made in helicopter business will be at stake if right message is not disseminated in time. "It will also lead to job cuts and loss of revenue for the government," Sharma added.

Helicopter operators have also claimed that the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has yet to make public full report of the investigation committee that it formed to look into malpractices in helicopter rescue. 

Earlier, chopper operators had slammed the report of the probe committee saying that it was not accurate technically. "The committee prepared the report based on complaints received from insurance companies. It did not get any documents that it had sought from the insurance companies," Sharma told media persons.

As per the complaint received on July 15 last year, the committee formed by the ministry had asked 15 insurance companies, which sell travel insurance policies to tourists coming to Nepal, to send details of their activities related to Nepal. Among others, it had asked the insurance companies to furnish details of policies sold, name of Nepali banks to which money was remitted, and the beneficiary hospitals or trekking companies. 

Helicopter operators had also said that the committee lacked members with technical know-how to study technicalities of rescues and chopper operations. 

Meanwhile, the society has said that helicopter operators will fully support the government if it brings any policy to regulate the search and rescue sector.

 
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