British aid worker misidentified as rescued after Nepal floods

A British aid worker was mistakenly recorded as a rescued survivor after returning to Kathmandu following a helicopter mission near the Trishuli river, the worker said, and officials had earlier reported 119 people rescued including a British national.

Alastair Chambers, 45, from Gloucester, said he was dropped at army barracks and gave his details to police, who then assumed he had been rescued. He received multiple media inquiries before clarifying he had not been one of the air rescues.

Chambers travelled to the affected area by humanitarian helicopter to assist communities cut off by collapsed bridges, distributing sleeping bags, water purification tools, food and essentials alongside volunteers. The usual one-and-a-half-hour journey from Kathmandu took eight to nine hours due to landslides and obstructions on the roads.

During the mission the team experienced a flood surge on the mountain route; after it subsided they helped locate bodies and deliver aid. Chambers described the work as dangerous and challenging but rewarding, and said he plans to fly back to the UK to raise funds for the devastated village before returning with essentials and solar powered lighting.

Officials told the House of Lords that 36 British people were unaccounted for, up from 33 previously, and the Foreign Office has been contacted for comment. Separately, Minister for the Indo-Pacific Baroness Winterton is scheduled to visit Kathmandu to discuss recovery support, and Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty will meet the British-Nepali community in London about assistance for those affected.

Liberal News Analysis: What Does This Development Mean?

The mistaken identification highlights challenges in tracking air-rescue reports during large-scale flood response operations. Official rescue figures and statements to legislative bodies indicate ongoing uncertainty about the status of some British nationals.

Quick Glance: What You Need to Know

• British aid worker Alastair Chambers was incorrectly assumed to have been rescued after returning to Kathmandu.
• Officials reported 119 people rescued by air, with 36 British citizens unaccounted for as stated in the House of Lords.
• Chambers assisted relief efforts near the Trishuli river, delivering aid to cut-off communities despite dangerous conditions.

Kaynak: BBC