The wreckage of the UH-1 "Huey" helicopter was found eight miles north of the town of Charikot, near where the aircraft had vanished on Tuesday while delivering humanitarian aid to villages hit by two deadly earthquakes, according to U.S. Pacific Command spokesman Maj. Dave Eastburn.

There was no immediate confirmation of the fate of the six U.S. Marines and two Nepalese soldiers who had been on the chopper when it disappeared. Nepal`s Defense Secretary Iswori Poudyal described the wreckage as being "in pieces," adding "there are no chances of any survivors."

Eastburn said U.S. Air Force pararescuemen were on the ground assisting in recovery efforts.

"The assessment of the site is ongoing and a thorough investigation will be conducted," a statement from the Marine-led joint task force said.

The discovery of the wreckage followed days of intense search involving U.S. and Nepalese aircraft and even U.S. satellites.

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 another magnitude-7.3 quake on Tuesday that killed 117 people and injured 2,800.

The helicopter had been delivering rice and tarps in Charikot, the area worst hit by Tuesday`s quake. It had dropped off supplies in one location and was en route to a second site when contact was lost.

U.S. military officials said earlier this week that an Indian helicopter in the air nearby had heard radio chatter from the Huey aircraft about a possible fuel problem.

A total of 300 U.S. military personnel have been supporting the aid mission in Nepal, which includes three Hueys, four Marine MV-22B Ospreys, two KC-130 Hercules and four Air Force C-17 Globemaster heavy-lift aircraft.

The Huey helicopter that crashed was from Marine Light Attack Helicopter squadron 469 based at Camp Pendleton, California.

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