Malaysia's SMART rescue team flies back from Nepal after successful HADR mission

The Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) concluded its humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operation in Nepal and landed safely at RMAF Subang Air Base at 2 am. Commander Abdul Manaf Che Isa said the team left Kathmandu at 3 pm the day before on a Royal Malaysian Air Force A400M, with a brief refuel stop in Kolkata, India. Since arriving in Kathmandu on September 5, the SMART MAS01 unit brought 12.4 tonnes of search-and-rescue equipment and transferred drones to Nepalese rescue teams for use in flood and landslide searches.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan had earlier indicated the team would return over the weekend. Upon arrival, Ministry of Health officials performed health screenings, confirming all 11 participants were in good condition. The deployment underscores Malaysia’s rapid response capability in regional disaster relief efforts.