7 trekkers stranded at 4,500m height in Rudraprayag; army to attempt rescue op today
An Indian Army chopper was requisitioned and it conducted a recce in Rudraprayag but it couldn’t carry out rescue operation due to bad weather. It will now attempt the rescue operation at 5 am on Monday.
DEHRADUN: The army will attempt on Monday to rescue seven trekkers stranded along the Pandav Shera trek at a height of around 4,500 metres in Rudraprayag district, an official said on Monday.
Ridhim Aggarwal, deputy inspector general of police (SDRF), said a high-altitude rescue team of the state disaster response force (SDRF) that was sent to Rudraprayag in a civil chopper on Saturday could not launch a search and rescue operation as the chopper failed to carry out rescue operation at such a height.
“On Sunday, we requisitioned for an army chopper that even conducted a recce in Rudraprayag but couldn’t carry out rescue operation due to bad weather. It will now carry out a rescue operation at 5 am on Monday, if the weather permits.”
Lalita Negi, media in charge of SDRF, said seven trekkers, who are from Uttarakhand, were making some documentary in Pandav Shera trekking area. “The trekkers messaged to the local administration through SMS that they are at a height of 4,500 metres without any food or water left.”
“A high-altitude rescue team of SDRF was dispatched to Pandav Shera area in the chopper from Sahastradhara Helipad in Dehradun with necessary rescue equipment and satellite phones for the quick rescue operation.
“The team reached Agastyamuni helipad in Rudraprayag in the evening but due to bad weather, they couldn’t start search and rescue operation.”
This is not the first-time trekkers have gone missing in the state. Many mountaineers and trekkers have even lost their lives in the state after they went missing or were caught in extreme weather events during mountaineering and trekking.
