Search efforts for the last three missing mountaineers were hamstrung by heavy snowfall on Friday over the avalanche-hit site near the ‘Draupadi ka Danda’ peak, reported PTI. “Aerial rescue operations can be resumed only after the weather improves,” District Disaster Management Officer Devendra Patwal said.
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On Tuesday, a 42-member team, who were part of an advanced training course were hit by an avalanche. Out of the 42, 29 got stranded in the avalanche which occurred at a height of 17,000 feet when the team from Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM) was returning after summiting Draupadi Ka Danda II peak.
The death toll has risen to 26, Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM) said on Friday, reported PTI.
The four deceased have been identified as ace mountaineer Savita Kanswal, Naumi Rawat, Ajay Bisht and Shivam Kainthola. While Savita and Naumi were instructors, the other two were trainees hailing from Himachal Pradesh. Earlier this year, Kanswal had set a national record by climbing Mount Everest and Mount Makalu within just two weeks.
The bodies were taken to the district hospital in ambulances from the Army helipad in Harsil and were handed over to the respective families. They were earlier brought in an Army helicopter from the advance base camp at Dokrani.
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According to officials from NIM, the climbers were from West Bengal, Delhi, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Assam, Haryana, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, and in the age group of 25-35 years, who were interested in mountaineering, The Indian Express reported.
The NIM, along with the Army, Indian Air Force,Indo-Tibetan Border Police, High Altitude Warfare School (Jammu and Kashmir) and State Disaster Response Force and district administration, are conducting the search and rescue operations.