In two separate incidents in Uttarakhand, an 11-member trekking group, including three porters has been missing since October 17 as weather turned inclement due to snowfall in the Himalayas, an official said on Wednesday. Besides, three porters accompanying an Indian Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) group are feared dead.
Jay Panwar, consultant with the disaster management and mitigation department in Uttarkashi, said the team of ITBP personnel deployed along the Indo-Sino border was on a routine patrolling trek from Nilapani area on October 15. And the three porters accompanying the group lost contact on October 17.
“It is unlikely that porters will survive. They are feared dead,” said an official in Dehradun, privy to the incident.
In another incident, an Uttarkashi-based agency said it has no whereabouts of the three porters and eight trekkers from New Delhi and West Bengal who left for Chitkul in Himachal Pradesh from Harsil in Uttarakhand on October 14.
“The group advanced towards Chitkul (Himanchal Pradesh) from Harsil in Uttarkashi, on October 14 and were scheduled to reach the destination by October 21. Meanwhile, we were informed there is no information of 11 members, including eight trekkers,” Manoj Rawat, owner of the agency, told News18.
However, an advanced six-member team of porters with the same group has reached its destination in Himachal Pradesh. Officials added an ITBP team from Himachal Pradesh is helping in search operations while a helicopter was also pressed into the operation but failed to get any clue.
Meanwhile, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) said they will help locate the missing from October 21.
Earlier this month, six members of the Navy trekking group went missing when they were ascending Mt Trishul. Later, four bodies were retrieved from the snow-clad mountains.
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