PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) has moved to Dhunche, Nepal, to begin establishing a forward base ahead of drone surveillance operations across four sectors in Rasuwa as the search continues for the 55 missing Malaysians.
National Disaster Management Agency director-general Datuk Meor Ismail Meor Akim said the 10-member SMART team, led by Inspector Abdullah, flew from the Nepal Army Tactical Command in Trishuli to Dhunche in an MI-17 helicopter yesterday.
He said the team will establish a forward base to support aerial surveillance operations.
“SMART will conduct drone surveillance and collect data in the field. Dhunche serves as the tactical forward base for the Rasuwa area, covering Timure, Syafrubesi, Dhunche and Mailung,” he said in an update on the team’s operations.
Meor Ismail said four sectors had been identified for drone surveillance between Syafrubesi and Timure, with two drone teams to be deployed over two days.
Each team comprises eight personnel, including four SMART members and four Nepal Army personnel.
However, he said the team was still assessing the most suitable operational approach due to the area’s frequent rainfall to ensure aerial surveillance and photographic data collection could be carried out effectively.
Meanwhile, Malaysia Solidarity: Families in Hope spokesman Dr Manivannan Rethinam said the families of the 55 missing Malaysians were seeking an immediate and detailed explanation from the government over alleged discrepancies involving the victims’ last known locations and DNA collection records.
He said the families were questioning why operational details released by the authorities continued to differ from information provided directly by relatives.
One of their main concerns was an apparent change in the search coordinates.
“Official statements indicate that SMART is focusing its surveillance efforts on an area linked to the victims’ last known locations.
“However, the families contend that none of the 55 missing individuals were reported to be near SMART’s current operational area,” he said yesterday in a statement.
Dr Manivannan questioned whether the government had obtained tracking data or alternative coordinates that had not been disclosed to the families, adding that the families had also provided authorities with initial movement logs, timelines, and records of the victims’ last communications.
So far, more than 5,000 people are still reported missing, while 1,300 others have been confirmed dead in the disaster. Of those still missing, 55 are Malaysians.
