Families of 55 missing Malaysians return to Wisma Putra for latest Nepal search update

The families of 55 Malaysians missing after a glacial flash flood in Nepal convened at Wisma Putra to receive updates on search and identification efforts.

This closed-door meeting, involving multiple Malaysian agencies, follows an initial engagement on August 30, during which DNA samples were collected.

Despite the return of a deployed rescue team, Malaysian and Nepalese authorities continue their search and diplomatic efforts.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has sought to formalize support mechanisms with Nepalese counterparts for affected families.

PUTRAJAYA, Sept 27 — Family members of the 55 Malaysians who remain missing following the glacial flash flood incident in Nepal arrived at Wisma Putra as early as 9 am today to meet with government representatives regarding the latest updates on the search efforts for their loved ones.

The closed-door meeting is expected to provide an opportunity for the families to receive detailed explanations concerning the search operations, as well as the verification and identification of victims, more than a month after the incident occurred.

The meeting is expected to involve representatives from the National Disaster Management Agency, the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (Smart), the Royal Malaysia Police, the Department of Chemistry Malaysia, the National Registration Department, and the Social Welfare Department .

Today’s session is the second meeting following the government’s initial official engagement with the affected families on Aug 30, five days after the incident on Aug 26, even though not all families were represented at that time.

On Aug 30, a closed-door briefing for the victims’ next-of-kin and the collection of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) samples were conducted at Wisma Putra to assist in the identification process of bodies recovered in Nepal.

A Smart team comprising 11 personnel was deployed to Nepal on Sept 5, and they conducted ground searches and drone surveillance in areas approved and deemed safe by Nepalese authorities before returning to Malaysia on Sept 14.

Wisma Putra had previously said the team’s return did not mean efforts to determine the status of the 55 Malaysians had ended; Nepalese authorities are continuing search, verification, and identification operations, while Malaysia pursues diplomatic efforts with the relevant authorities.

On Sept 22, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim conveyed the concerns and hopes of the victims’ families to Nepalese Prime Minister Balendra Shah and raised the need to establish a formal mechanism to assist the families should the Malaysians remain unaccounted for.

Floods and debris flows on Aug 26, triggered by an ice and rock collapse in the upper Lhende Khola catchment area in Tibet, reportedly claimed over 1,450 lives, while thousands more remain missing. — Bernama

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在尼泊尔冰川突发洪水后失踪的 55 名马来西亚人的家属齐聚布特拉大厦，听取有关搜寻和身份识别工作的最新进展报告。

此次闭门会议由多个马来西亚机构参与，此前双方于 8 月 30 日进行了初步接触，期间采集了 DNA 样本。

尽管已部署的救援队返回，但马来西亚和尼泊尔当局仍在继续搜寻和外交努力。

马来西亚首相拿督斯里安华·易卜拉欣已寻求与尼泊尔方面建立正式的援助机制，以帮助受灾家庭。

布城，9月27日讯——今天上午9点，在尼泊尔冰川突发洪水事件中失踪的55名马来西亚人的家属抵达布城大厦，与政府代表会面，了解搜寻亲人的最新进展。

此次闭门会议预计将为遇难者家属提供一个机会，让他们在事件发生一个多月后，详细了解搜寻行动以及遇难者身份核实和识别情况。

预计国家灾害管理机构、马来西亚特别灾害援助和救援队（Smart）、马来西亚皇家警察、马来西亚化学部、国民登记局和社会福利部的代表将参加此次会议。

今天的会议是继政府于 8 月 30 日首次与受影响家庭进行正式接触后的第二次会议，当时距离 8 月 26 日事件发生已经过去了五天，尽管当时并非所有家庭都有代表出席。

8 月 30 日，在维斯玛·普特拉举行了一场闭门简报会，向遇难者家属通报情况，并采集了脱氧核糖核酸 (DNA) 样本，以协助对在尼泊尔发现的尸体进行身份识别。

9月5日，一支由11名人员组成的智能团队被部署到尼泊尔，他们在尼泊尔当局批准和认为安全的地区进行了地面搜索和无人机监视，然后于9月14日返回马来西亚。

马来西亚外交部此前曾表示，该团队的返回并不意味着确定55名马来西亚人身份的努力已经结束；尼泊尔当局仍在继续进行搜寻、核实和身份识别工作，而马来西亚则继续与相关当局进行外交努力。

9月22日，马来西亚总理拿督斯里安华·易卜拉欣向尼泊尔总理巴伦德拉·沙阿转达了遇难者家属的关切和希望，并提出有必要建立正式机制，以便在马来西亚人下落不明的情况下为家属提供帮助。

据报道，8月26日，西藏伦德河上游流域冰岩崩塌引发洪水和泥石流，造成超过1450人死亡，另有数千人失踪。——马新社

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