SDRF searches for eight missing trekkers in Uttarakhand's Kedartal
Rescue teams are conducting aerial reconnaissance in Uttarkashi district after snowfall and an avalanche stranded a group of trekkers and a guide.
The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) began searching for seven trekkers and one guide on Sunday after they went missing on the Kedartal trek in Uttarkashi district, according to The Hindu.
The group, which includes trekkers from West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, departed from Gangotri on October 27. They were part of a 13-member party that included six support staff.
Mayank Garg, deputy director of the Gangotri National Park, said an avalanche blocked the route beyond Bhoj Kharak, leaving eight people cut off. While three porters and a cook were found safe near Kachchi Dhang, seven trekkers and a guide remain unaccounted for.
Heavy snowfall and difficult terrain have hampered ground efforts. SDRF Commandant Arpan Yaduvanshi stated that a specialised mountaineering team was deployed and aerial reconnaissance via helicopter was used to survey the area.
Head Constable Ravi Chauhan and Constable Deepak Pant flew to Harsil on Sunday to conduct two aerial surveys of the Kedartal region. Officials said no signs of the missing individuals or their tents were seen during these flights.
An additional SDRF team with mountaineering gear has been sent from the battalion headquarters to continue the operation as conditions allow. Officials noted that one of the stranded trekkers has sustained a head injury.