A UH-1 Huey helicopter with six U.S. Marines and two Nepalese soldiers on board went missing Tuesday in Nepal as the crew was conducting relief operations following the recent earthquake.
The helicopter was assigned to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 469 in support of Joint Task Force 505. It went missing shortly before 7 p.m. local time near Charikot, Nepal, according to Army Maj. Dave Eastburn, spokesman for U.S. Pacific Command.
U.S. military aircraft are delivering food, water, medical supplies and shelter to areas hardest hit by the April 25 earthquake that shook Nepal, destroying large buildings and killing at least 7,000 people.
Joint Task Force 505 personnel are searching for the aircraft and responding to the emergency, Eastburn said. Officials have opened an investigation into the incident, he said.
Joint Task Force 505 is a special unit activated by U.S. Pacific Command to help bring relief to earthquake ravaged areas in Nepal.
-- Michael Hoffman can be reached at mike.hoffman@military.com
