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WWF helicopter vanishes in Nepal WWF helicopter vanishes in Nepal
(about 8 hours later)
A helicopter carrying 24 people, including WWF conservationists from the US, Canada and Australia, has gone missing in eastern Nepal.A helicopter carrying 24 people, including WWF conservationists from the US, Canada and Australia, has gone missing in eastern Nepal.
The helicopter lost radio contact during bad weather. It is not clear whether it crashed or was forced to make an emergency landing. The helicopter lost radio contact during bad weather after it took off in a mountainous district.
The helicopter took off from the mountainous district of Taplejung. Five rescue helicopters took off early on Sunday to resume an air search for the craft.
A Finnish diplomat, two Russians and several Nepalis were on board, including a junior forestry minister. It was not immediately clear if the helicopter had crashed or was able to make an emergency landing.
Two prominent Nepali conservationists and a renowned Nepali anthropologist were also on board. Officials said rain and low visibility were hampering efforts to find the helicopter, missing since noon local time (0615 GMT) on Saturday.
An American aid worker from the organisation USAid was among seven foreigners. Multiple nationalities
"These helicopters have been forced to comb the area from higher altitude because of rain and fog cover in the area," Nepal's Civil Aviation Minister Pradeep Gyawali said.
He said poor weather meant that the rescue teams had been unable to fly closer to the ground or land in the area.
Seven WWF employees are among the missing, including four Nepalis, an Australian, a Canadian and an American, the organisation said.
Also listed among the missing are a Finnish diplomat, a US aid-worker and two Russian crew members as well as Nepalese officials and reporters.
A team of 90 soldiers and policemen have also been sent to the area on foot to help another ground team already there.
The helicopter party was returning from a landmark ceremony to hand over the Kangenjunga conservation area from the government to the local community.The helicopter party was returning from a landmark ceremony to hand over the Kangenjunga conservation area from the government to the local community.
The helicopter, identified as a Russian-made Mi-17, had been on a 20-minute flight to a local airport, where the passengers had been due to take a flight to the capital, Kathmandu.The helicopter, identified as a Russian-made Mi-17, had been on a 20-minute flight to a local airport, where the passengers had been due to take a flight to the capital, Kathmandu.
Bad weather forced a rescue helicopter to suspend its search, but two rescue teams were heading to the area on foot, setting off from opposite directions.
The two Russians on board were part of a four-strong crew.