The Government of India Sunday said it was ready to help in the search and rescue of the missing chopper carrying 24 people including Minister of State for Soil Conservation, Gopal Rai, senior officials of the ministry, the WWF Nepal and Kathmandu-based foreign missions.

Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Shiv Shankar Mukherjee, telephoned Home Minister KP Situala in the evening and told that India would offer “whatever assistance possible” in tracking down the missing chopper.

“Ambassador Mukherjee, as the representative of the Government of India to Nepal, telephoned the Home Minister of Nepal and informed about India’s readiness to provide whatever assistance possible in the search of the missing helicopter,” Indian Embassy spokesperson Gopal Bagley told Nepalnews.

Nepali authorities are yet to say anything if they were going to ask for Indian help in the search and rescue operation as the extreme weather condition continued to hamper reuse efforts for the second day. Four rescue choppers, two private and two from the Nepali Army, were sent to the area but they had to return due to bad weather.

The possibility of the chopper straying in the Indian sky and landing or crashing in Indian territory are said to be very rare while there were no reports of Indian aviation authorities being alerted about that possibility.

The 9N-AHJ (MI-172) Shree Airlines chopper flying to Suketar of Taplejung district went missing within five minutes after takeoff from Dhunsa area of the same district Saturday morning.

The civil aviation ministry said search and rescue operation would continue on Monday as well.