Rapid response team heads to Ramche in overland push to find 9 missing Koreans in Nepal

South Korea's joint rapid response team is set to push into the Ramche area near the flood disaster site Monday in an effort to locate nine Koreans who have been out of contact since catastrophic flooding struck Nepal.

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs official told reporters Monday that the overland search team would attempt to reach Ramche, located about one to two kilometers from the accident site, and set up camp there overnight.

The overland search unit assembled Monday morning at the South Korean Embassy in Kathmandu before departing for Ramche.

On Sunday, the team conducted a preliminary reconnaissance of the Batar area in Bidur — a key access point on the route to the disaster site — to assess road conditions and the situation on the ground. Having determined that an overland approach to Ramche was feasible, the team set out Monday to attempt entry into the area.

The overland search team plans to begin searching as soon as it arrives in Ramche, remaining on site overnight rather than returning to Batar or Kathmandu. If the team arrives before 3 p.m. local time, it will also conduct aerial searches using drones.

Separately from the overland effort, the team is also exploring the use of a helicopter to survey the area around Weir Dam, which the missing persons' families have identified as one of the likely locations where the group may have been. However, it remains unclear whether helicopter deployment will be possible, as Nepalese military authorities have withheld flight clearance citing safety concerns and air traffic congestion.

Earlier, the team flew a single helicopter on two sorties Saturday, searching the accident site, nearby camp areas, surrounding mountain terrain and a powerhouse, but found no trace of the missing. A helicopter search was also attempted Sunday but could not proceed after Nepalese military authorities denied clearance.