Four climbers, Abhijit Banik (43), Chinmoy Mondal (43), Raja Das (37), Binoy Das (31), who went missing during their expedition to climb Mt. Alirathni Tibba (5458m) found fit and fine today. Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports and IAF joined hands in the search and rescue operation.
Manoj Nath, a member of the ill-fated team, who couldn't join the team due to leg injury, was tracking the movement of the team with Arghya (non-climbing member) and Lakhpa Sherpa from Advanced Base Camp when the team started its summit bid from Camp-1. They lost track of the team on September 7 around 4pm. Next day, Lakpa Sherpa started climbing to find them but had to receed from base of an ice fall due to lack of climbing gears. Then, Manoj Nath, Arghya and Lakpa Sherpa came down to Manala and alerted authority about the missing members on September 9.
ABVIMAS promptly formed a land rescue team of 22 climbers and also IAF was called in for search operation. The land rescue team started on 9th September and reached Base Camp on 10th September in the evening. Heli search operation couldn't be carried out on 10th September due to bad weather.
On 11th September, IAF helicopters flew from Bhuntar and Manoj Nath accompanied the heli search operation team. After two hours of heli searching, the stranded four climbers were traced and they started descending to Camp-1 (4800m) with land rescue team. It is expected, the team will reach Base Camp by tomorrow.
Timeline:
7th Sept. 5am - Four climbers started climbing to reach the summit from Camp-1. It was a self-supported climb without any Sherpa assistance.
7th Sept. 4pm - Lakhpa Sherpa who was in the advance Base Camp, saw them climbing. After that, they could not be traced.
8th Sept. - Lakhpa started climbing towards the summit early in the morning to find them.
- After two hours of climbing, Lakhpa reached base of an icefall, from there he could not be able to climb farther due to lack of climbing gears.
8th Sept. 12pm - Lakhpa started descending to Camp-1.
8th Sept. 3:30pm - Lakhpa came back to Camp-1.
9th Sept. - Manoj with Arghya (non-climbing member) and Lakhpa came down to Malana for a rescue call.
- Meanwhile, Lakhpa returned to Camp-1.
9th Sept. - ABVIMAS formed land rescue team and the team started for Waichin village.
10th Sept. - The land rescue team reached Base Camp in the afternoon. Heli search operation could not be carried out due to bad weather.
11th Sept. - The land rescue team and IAF traced the stranded climbers and they started descending to Camp-1.
Photo Credit: Manoj Nath
