Other events in Baltic States

The flight of Estonian and Finnish rescue teams from Kuopio, Finland, to the Nepalese capital of Kathmandu was cancelled since Kathmandu Airport did not give the plane a landing permit, LETA/Public Broadcasting reports.

"It does not depend on us anymore, and does not depend on the Finns. Currently the return procedures from Kuopio Airport are being prepared. Men load stuff off the plane because the plane was packed all the time," North Estonian rescue centre head Priit Laos said.

The 15-member Estonian rescue team flew from Estonia to Finland early on Monday, to proceed from there together with the Finnish rescue team to Nepal. The departure of their plane was postponed several times because the Kathmandu airport is not able to accept aircraft.

Finnish Crisis Centre Coordinator Esa Ahlberg said yesterday in Estonian national television ETV that if they get the flight permit by Tuesday morning, then the search and rescue team still goes to Nepal, later they won't.

The Estonian government decided on Sunday to allocate EUR 91,300 from its reserves to send a 15-member rescue team to Nepal. The mission length was to be up to 12 days.