NEW DELHI, Oct 4: At least 10 young trainee mountaineers were killed while more than 20 others are feared to have remained trapped in an avalanche that struck at Mount Draupadi Ka Danda – II peak in Uttarakhand on Tuesday.
Officials said a team of 34 trainee mountaineers and seven instructors from the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM) were caught in the avalanche while returning after scaling the peak. Eight trainees have been rescued.
The NIM principal Amit Bisht has confirmed the death of 10 trainee mountaineers while 28 others are still remained trapped in the snow-covered mountain. Ten bodies were sighted of which four have been recovered, he added.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said rapid relief and rescue operations are underway. “I pray for those stuck in avalanche. Spoke to Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and requested to get the help of Indian Army to speed up the rescue operation. Mr Singh has assured us to give all possible help from the Central Government,” said Mr. Dhami.
Presently rapid relief and rescue operations are being carried out by the district administration, NDRF, SDRF, Army and ITBP personnel along with the team of NIM to get the trainees out safely at the earliest, the statement from the state government said.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said he was “deeply anguished by the loss of precious lives due to landslide which has struck the mountaineering expedition” carried out by the NIM in Uttarkashi. “My condolences to the bereaved families who have lost their loved ones. Spoke to CM Uttarakhand and took stock of the situation. Rescue operations are underway to help the mountaineers who are still trapped,” he said.
The Defence Minister further said he has instructed the IAF to mount the rescue and relief operations. “Rescue operations are underway to help the mountaineers who are still trapped. I have instructed the IAF to mount the rescue and relief ops. Praying for everyone’s safety and well-being,” he added.
Uttarakhand DGP Ashok Kumar said IAF helicopters were deployed for the search and rescue operation. “There was a group from the mountaineering institute who were on a mission to reach Draupadi’s Danda-2 mountain peak, located at 18,000 feet. An avalanche came around 8am and 29 were trapped. Eight were immediately rescued by members of the team.” ITBP PRO Vivek Pandey said “ITBP, NDRF, SDRF and local police started the rescue op as soon as information was received. All injured and stranded will be taken to a helipad at almost 13,000 feet first from where they will be brought down to Matli helipad. Will be using ITBP hospital,” Pandey said.
NIM is the only mountaineering institute in India certified by the international federation for climbing and mountaineering. Located in Uttarkashi, the NIM was established on November 14, 1965, to fulfil the desire of India’s first Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru, himself an ardent mountain lover, and functions under the Indian Mountaineering Foundation.
The NIM was originally located on the campus of the Provincial Armed Constabulary Campus at Gyansu on the north bank of the Bhagirathi river. Later, it was shifted to its current location in the Ladari Reserve Forest. The current location is close to the Gangotri region in western Garhwal. The campus is spread over almost seven hectares of prime forest land and headed by an officer by the ministry of Defence.
(Manas Dasgupta)
