Nepal: Recovery effort to resume at helicopter crash site

KATHMANDU, Nepal (KGO) -- Officials in Nepal say the wreckage of the missing U.S. Marine helicopter has been found and three bodies were found nearby.

A recovery mission will resume at daylight in Nepal at the spot where the wreckage of a U.S. Marine helicopter was found. It disappeared this week during a relief mission in the country hit by two major quakes in the past three weeks.

Six Marines and two soldiers from Nepal were on board. Officials say three bodies were found, and that there's little likelihood that anyone survived.

Nepal's defense secretary says the wreckage "was found in pieces." A separate team sent by the U.S. Marines identified the wreckage as the missing helicopter.

The commander of a joint task force led by the Marines says it was a 'very severe crash." He says extreme weather and difficult terrain are hampering efforts to work at the crash site.

"We will continue to mourn the loss and observe the sacrifice of the great soldiers from Nepal and our Marines who lost their lives," Lt. General John Wissler said.

The Military has not yet identified the Marines on the helicopter.

The U.S. relief mission was deployed soon after a magnitude-7.8 quake hit April 25, killing more than 8,200 people. It was followed by a magnitude-7.3 quake on Tuesday that killed 117 people and injured 2,800.

The U.N. General Assembly today called for urgent assistance to help earthquake survivors and to rebuild Nepal. The U.N. wants $415 million to be contributed for essential needs in Nepal over the next three months.

Help Nepal: Support quake relief and recovery efforts

The relief and recovery efforts in Nepal will likely need even more help now. If you would like to donate, you can text NEPAL to 90999 to contribute $10 or call 1-800-RED-CROSS.

ABC7 News reporter Sergio Quintana is over in Nepal currently covering the aftermath of the 7.3 and 7.8 earthquakes. Wednesday, he spoke to a military general who didn't really have any clear answers as to why homing beacons on the helicopter might not have been working. The general did say that they had not picked up any signals nor made any contact with that crew.

Quintana is one of the only Western journalists in Nepal. He traveled with a U.S. rescue team who was delivering aid, when the 7.3 earthquake struck and has been reporting from the earthquake zone since. You can see all of his reports here.

You can follow his Twitter updates here

Click here to find out how you can help the victims in Nepal.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.