WASHINGTON, April 10: The US State Department indicated on Tuesday that a possible “rethinking” in Islamabad could have delayed the deployment of an American rescue team in Siachen.

At a regular news briefing, spokesperson Victoria Nuland confirmed that the US team, sent to join search and rescue operations in Siachen, was still in Islamabad, awaiting instructions from Pakistani authorities.

“That is my understanding, that they are still in Islamabad,” she told reporters, adding that she could not say what was causingthe delay.

“I really can’t speak to either what the conditions on the mountain are, whether there are issues having to do with getting, or whether, — several days having gone by — there is, sort of, rethinking about whether international teams can and should be deployed,” she said.

A team of eight US military experts from Afghanistan arrived in Islamabad on Sunday to help recover 138 Pakistani soldiers and civilians trapped beneath an avalanche in Siachen.

The United States and India were the first to offer assistance.

Bad weather has hampered rescue operations. So far, no one has been rescued and no bodies have been found.

The State Department official made it clear that the United States had sent the team on Pakistan’s request, as reporters speculated about the reasons behind the delay.

“Well, obviously we responded to the request for help. They went to Islamabad to coordinate with Pakistani officials,” Ms Nuland said.

Asked if the team would join the rescue operations or “just sit in Islamabad”, the US official said: “I’m just going to send you to the Pakistanis on that. But, you know, we are making them available so that they can help in whatever way the Pakistanis’ might find helpful.”