More than 1,000 people have been confirmed dead and over 4,000 remain missing following devastating flash floods in Nepal and Tibet. Among those mistakenly identified as a survivor was Alastair Chambers, a 45-year-old British aid worker who returned to Kathmandu on a humanitarian aid flight.
Background
Chambers, a former Gloucester councillor, traveled to Nepal last week to distribute essential supplies, including sleeping bags and food, to communities cut off by collapsed bridges. After spending several days in a village near the Trishuli river, he returned to the capital by helicopter, where police officers mistakenly believed he was a rescued survivor.
““I gave them my details, just abiding by the rules, and they obviously thought that I’d been rescued,” Chambers told the Press Association.
He appeared on a list of 119 names released by local authorities on Tuesday. An army spokesperson later confirmed that a British national was among those rescued, leading to confusion.
Current Situation
Chambers received inquiries from approximately 15 journalists asking about his well-being after the supposed rescue. He clarified, “Well sorry, I haven’t been rescued.”
Among those rescued were 118 Nepali nationals—44 women and 74 men. The Foreign Office minister, Stewart Wood, informed the House of Lords that 36 British nationals are currently missing, an increase from the previously reported 33.
