The families of South Korean workers missing after a catastrophic flash flood in Nepal yesterday urged authorities to secure helicopter access for a search, saying rescuers were losing critical time more than 48 hours after the disaster.

The nine missing workers, employed by Doosan Enerbility and Korea South-East Power, were working on a major hydropower project hit by Wednesday’s glacier-triggered flash flood.

“Our only demand is to get helicopters in the air as soon as possible,” relatives of Doosan Enerbility employees told reporters, according to the company and Yonhap News Agency, expressing frustration over what they described as a lack of visible progress despite assurances from officials.

The families said they had not received sufficient information about the missing workers’ whereabouts or the circumstances of the disaster, and called for search footage and other updates to be shared promptly.

They also urged South Korea to press Nepalese authorities through diplomatic channels for more active support.

A South Korean team that arrived in Kathmandu was still awaiting flight clearance to travel to the affected area.