Operation to locate missing Arunachal mountaineers called off due to bad weather

Tapi Mra, who climbed Mount Everest in 2009, and Niku Dao were attempting to scale Chiumo mountain peak located 6,890 metres above the sea when they went missing on August 17

Published on: Sep 22, 2022, 10:21:44 IST

By Utpal Parashar

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

The operation to locate two mountaineers, who went missing near the frontier with China in Arunachal Pradesh in August, has been called off due to bad weather.

Authorities in Arunachal’s East Kameng district came to know about the missing mountaineers on August 27. (AFP (Representative))

Tapi Mra, who climbed Mount Everest in 2009, and Niku Dao were attempting to scale Chiumo mountain peak located 6,890 metres above the sea when they went missing on August 17.

Authorities in Arunachal’s East Kameng district came to know about the missing mountaineers on August 27. “Based on the feedback from the search and rescue teams, we found the weather and geography is extremely dangerous at the moment and there is no way we can guarantee the safety of the rescue teams. Keeping these things in mind, we have decided to call off the operations,” East Kameng deputy commissioner PA Polumatla said on Wednesday.

Satellite imagery, drones, and helicopters were earlier also unsuccessfully deployed to trace the mountaineers, who are from Arunachal Pradesh.

Major LP Singh, who led to rescue operations, said they carried out the operation amid continuous rainfall and poor visibility. “Our helicopters carried out several search attempts and dropped a team at the height of 15,000 feet from where the mountaineers were missing.”

Polumatla said it takes two weeks to trek to the base camp of the mountain. “We have done everything humanly possible to locate the mountaineers over the past three weeks. But it is unfortunate that we could not locate them. In the interest of the safety of the rescue team, we have to call off this mission.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

Follow India news real-time updates and the latest news covered on Hindustan Times, featuring today's critical updates on Sonam Wangchuk LIVE and more across India.