Kathmandu: Maoist rebels on September 19 set afire a private helicopter on a rescue mission in Nepal and took two persons hostage at Juku in Solukhumbu district, police said.

A passenger and his pilot were taken captive by the insurgents released three other passengers before torching the Air Karnali chopper in the Mount Everest region, Radio Nepal reported.

The incident occurred at 10:15 hours, local time as 30-40 rebels lay siege on the chopper, the radio said adding that the Kathmandu-Rumjatar flight was to ferry sick patients for treatment to Kathmandu.

The chopper was located at 16:30 hours, local time by a second helicopter belonging to the same airway, sent on a rescue mission. It however, did not land due to bad weather, aviation sources said.

The whereabouts of the hostages were unknown, police said.

PTI