India sends second team to find missing climbers

The 10-strong group of highly-trained climbers from the paramilitary Indo-Tibetan Border Police set off from Pithoragarh for the base camp of Nanda Devi East peak.

Published : Jun 13, 2019 21:04 IST , NEW DELHI

Members of the ITBP rescue team posing for a picture before their departure by land to the Nanda Devi East base camp to carry out the search operation of the eight missing mountaineers.
Members of the ITBP rescue team posing for a picture before their departure by land to the Nanda Devi East base camp to carry out the search operation of the eight missing mountaineers.
lightbox-info

Members of the ITBP rescue team posing for a picture before their departure by land to the Nanda Devi East base camp to carry out the search operation of the eight missing mountaineers.

A second team of mountaineers set off Thursday to look for eight climbers, seven of them foreigners, feared killed on the country's second-highest mountain, officials said.

The 10-strong group of highly-trained climbers from the paramilitary Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) set off from Pithoragarh for the base camp of Nanda Devi East peak in the Himalayas.

From there they will try to reach the site where on June 3 a helicopter spotted five bodies and climbing equipment in the snow, at a height of about 5,000 metres (16,400 feet).

On Monday a separate team from the Indian Mountaineering Federation set off on a different route.

The four Britons, two Americans, one Indian and one Australian have not been heard from since May 26, a day before heavy snow fell and massive avalanches started.

The ITBP team is expected to reach base camp in a week and after acclimatising will try to reach the spot where the mountaineers were last seen. 

"It will be (a) very challenging mission as the site is located at about 20,000 feet in between glacier and other snow hazard prone area," the ITBP said.

Attempts to drop troops by air to retrieve the bodies were aborted due to turbulent winds and the risk of further avalanches on the treacherous terrain.

Sign in to unlock all user benefits
  • Get notified on top games and events
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign up / manage to our newsletters with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early bird access to discounts & offers to our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment