After a group of 17 trekkers including tourists, porters, and guides were reported missing in Uttarakhand, the Air Force launched a massive rescue operation at Lamkhaga Pass and has recovered 11 bodies so far. The group went missing on October 18 amid heavy snowfall and inclement weather.
Responding to SOS, the Indian Air Force rushed to rescue on October 20. Reportedly, the trekkers had left Harshil in adjoining Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi for Chitkul in Himachal Pradesh’s Kinnaur on October 14, but they went missing from October 17 to 19 in Lamkhaga Pass- it is one of the toughest passes which connects the Kinnaur district with Harshil in Uttrakhand.
The search operation was undertaken with three National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel on board, while the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) aircraft were working at the maximum permissible altitude during the afternoon hours.
On October 21, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel were able to locate two rescue sites and four mortal remains were found. Meanwhile, on October 22, ALH rescued a survivor and five mortal remains were recovered at an altitude of 16500 ft. Two more mortal remains have been located and the rest are being rescued on foot by Jt Patrol of Dogra Scouts, four Assam, and two ITBP members. Search for the remaining two individuals will be undertaken by the ALH crew on October 23.
The authorities handed over the mortal remains to the local Police and the survivors were given first aid at Harsil and were later sent to the district hospital, Uttarkashi.