Nepal's tourism minister is reported to be among six people who were on board a helicopter which went missing amid bad weather in the country's mountainous region.
Minister Rabindra Adhikari was among the six who boarded the helicopter when it left Kathmandu.
However, it is not clear if he got off the aircraft when it made a stop before it lost contact with the airport tower in Kathmandu, police said.
NDTV and Global Times have since reported that Mr Adhikari is among six people who died in the crash, quoting Nepal's Civil Aviation Authority.
#UPDATE Nepal's Civil Aviation Authority has confirmed that all 6 on board including the tourism minister are dead in a chopper crash, according to ANI https://t.co/tCpnGZw6Zr
— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) February 27, 2019
A spokesman said rescuers are searching for the aircraft, but the weather conditions are making the operation difficult in an area about 250 miles east of the Nepalese capital.