Kuala lumpur: The Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART), which took part in the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) mission in Nepal, is anticipated to return home either today or tomorrow, as stated by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan. The team has successfully handed over all equipment, including drones, to Nepalese rescue teams to aid in ongoing search operations for flood victims.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Nepalese authorities have not announced the conclusion of search and rescue (SAR) operations, with 5,000 individuals still unaccounted for. The SMART team leader is expected to provide a comprehensive report to assess the situation further and determine Malaysia's potential involvement in future aid, should Nepal request assistance.

Mohamad shared these insights during his visit to the Media Centre at the 2026 UMNO General Assembly. The SMART MAS01 team, consisting of 11 personnel and officers, arrived in Nepal on September 5, traveling via a Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) A400M aircraft from the RMAF Subang Air Base, equipped with 12.4 tonnes of SAR equipment.

In parallel, the Malaysian Embassy in Kathmandu maintains regular communication with the Nepalese government to acquire the latest updates on the status of Malaysians reported missing in the disaster. This engagement is crucial to assist next-of-kin in managing matters such as insurance claims and related issues.

Mohamad highlighted a critical procedural difference: in Nepal, a death certificate for someone missing can be issued after three years, while in Malaysia, the process takes seven years. This discrepancy has prompted the Malaysian embassy to work closely with Nepalese authorities to facilitate the acquisition of necessary documents for the families of those still missing.