binod takiawala
12 mountaineers on their attempt to climb Mount Nanda Devi
East were on an expedition in Pithoragarh District since 13 May, 2019
onwards in high himalyas in Kumaon.
On 30 May, 2019, the District Administration got a SOS call. ITBP
was requested to search for 8 mountaineers who were reported
missing since 26 May, 2019 while attempting a summit on an unnamed
peak near Nanda Devi East.
In the rescue efforts thereon, remaining 4 mountaineers were
airlifted from Nanda Devi base camp on 1 June, 2019 who were part of
the 12 member team and been taken to 14 th Battalion ITBP. –
1) Zachary Quain
2) Ian Wade
3) Kate Armstrong
4) Mark Thomas
Few bodies were seen by aerial recce by Indian Air Force on 3
June, 2019. Heli operations were attempted with the help of Indian Air
Force, but due to terrain, weather and wind conditions, same was not
successful.
After this, ITBP with the help of District Administration,
Pithoragarh started the search operation from 14 June onwards by
establishing base camps towards the incident site.
Sh S S Deswal, DG ITBP briefed the ITBP team in Pithoragarh
before launch of this high risk mission.
The ITBP had launched search operation on 14 June, 2019 from
Pithoragarh to search these missing mountaineers in which 4 were
British, 2 were Americans, and 1 each from Australia and India.
2
Names of missing 8 mountaineers in Nanda Devi East expedition
from 25th May, 2019 were- Martin Moran- Expedition Leader, John
Mclaren, Rupert Whewell and Richard Payne (All from UK), Anthony
Sudekum and Ronald Beimel (From the US), Ruth McCance from
Australia, and Chetan Pandey of the Indian Mountaineering
Foundation- Indian Liason Officer.
In this very difficult search operation in high Himalayas, Indo
Tibetan border Police (ITBP) mountaineers have recovered seven dead
bodies out of the remaining 8 missing mountaineers near an unnamed
peak near Nanda Devi East, District Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand on
23/06/2019.
These seven recovered bodies include of a women mountaineer
also. The team tried to search for 8 th body also but due to terrain,
altitude and weather limitations, the same has not been found yet.
These bodies were traced at an altitude of appx 18000 feet near
the peak.
After acclimatization, the ITBP mountaineers reached to the site
through technical climbing as the terrain conditions were very difficult
due to steep gradient, snow accumulation and wind conditions.
Firstly, the recovered dead bodies have been retrieved and taken
to a nearby safe site on 22 June, 2019. It was tried that the bodies can
be airlifted from this place, but air lifting efforts again failed due to the
attitude limitations.
In this very difficult search operation in high Himalayas, Indo
Tibetan border Police (ITBP) mountaineers have recovered seven dead
bodies out of the remaining 8 missing mountaineers near an unnamed
peak near Nanda Devi East, District Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand on
22/06/2019.
After air recce on 29 and 30 June, 2019 with Indian Air Force
Choppers, it was decided to take the bodies to a lower altitude first
manually so that they can be air lifted from here.
On 1 July, 2019, ITBP mountaineers with more than 11 hours of
efforts, managed to take 4 bodies to the highest point of the ridge
3
(18,800 ft) from where they can be taken further to Base Camp 1
Helipad.
Remaining 3 bodies were carried the next day to the same point
first.
All bodies were taken to Base Camp 1 temporary Helipad
probably by today evening (2/7/2019).
Bodies were further airlifted to Munsyari and further to
Pithoragarh on 3 July onwards with the help of Indian Air Force.
The operation took time as ITBP took mountaineers took all
precautions with best mountaineering skills and trying to take utmost
care while carrying the bodies with dignity and honour.
ITBP’s mission- ‘Daredevels’ ended after dead bodies handed over
to District Administration Pithoragarh today at 1210 Hrs.
In view of increasing mountaineering rescue requirements in the
high Himalayas, Sh S S Deswal, DG ITBP has today said that the ITBP will
be forming 5 high altitude mountain rescue teams in 5 states- 1 in each
state- Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and
Arunachal Pradesh.
Features of the Operations
1. One of the difficult most retrieval operation in the world at such an
altitude and typical terrain.
2. Best effort to bring back the bodies with dignity and honour.
3. Nationals of 3 countries lost their lives during this expedition. Bringing the
bodies back and sending to their respective countries will surely be a
great gesture of the country.
4. ITBP team has been taking highest possible risk which indeed is a unique
effort by the Force.
5. Gallant act by ITBP mountaineers of taking the bodies down is second to
none.
6. Will always be remembered as a milestone in the history of
mountaineering search and retrieval missions as it is a rare of the rarest
operation.
4
In view of increasing mountaineering rescue
requirements in the high Himalayas, Sh S S Deswal, DG
ITBP has today said that the ITBP will be forming 5 high
altitude mountain rescue teams of highly trained
mountaineers of the Force in 5 states- 1 in each state-
Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand,
Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
