KUALA LUMPUR, April 28 — A total of 102 Malaysians boarded the C-130 aircraft belonging to the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) departing from Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu this afternoon to return home.

RMAF deputy chief Lt Gen Datuk Seri Che Akmar Mohd Nor said the aircraft was now on its way to Kolkata, India, and was expected to arrive at the RMAF Subang base tonight, depending on flight conditions.

"The RMAF is willing to continue working with the National Security Council (NSC) if there are requirements to use RMAF aircraft to bring Malaysians home or to send relief supplies to Nepal," he told Bernama today.

He said that the RMAF had so far not received any request from the NSC for its next operation.

Che Akmar said the delay of the flight schedule by one day was due to air traffic congestion by humanitarian and commercial aircrafts going in and out of Kathmandu.          

He said his team did not face any other problems in carrying out the mission.

An earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale struck Nepal between Kathmandu and Pokhara city at 2.56pm (Malaysian time) on Saturday. Several aftershocks also occurred.

So far, the worst earthquake to hit Nepal in the last 81 years has recorded 4,200 deaths and more than 7,000 people have been injured. — Bernama