Nanda Devi: ITBP Continues Search for One Dead Climber, Seven Retrieved at Intermediate Camp

Courtesy: ITBP

Even though the Indian Air Force identified five bodies on 3^rd June near the Peak-6477m, situated on the ridge of Nanda Khat (6611m), heavy snowfall afterward, covered all previously-located bodies, making the rescue operation even more difficult subsequently. Since then, a few postponements and aborted missions later, a new 32-member ITBP team launched their final mission on 12^th June.

Mark Thomas, the deputy leader of the original 12-member team, along with two other sherpas, had already set up tents at Camp-2 above Longstaff’s Col (5910m) when Martin contacted them for the last time. His team was about to move towards Trail’s Pass (~5312m) on 1^st June, as the Moran-led team informed their two supporting sherpas (then with Mark Thomas) for the last time on 31^st May at 1.30am, as reported by the Polish Team who are now on their summit bid on Nanda Devi East.

It is highly possible that Moran, alongside seven others, was descending towards the glacier through Trail’s Pass when avalanche struck the region they were at. Which also happens to be the reason why ITBP deputed another ground-rescue team from the side of Pindari Glacier.

Paramilitary soldiers have rescued the bodies of climbers who presumably deviated from the route of Nanda Devi East (7434m) to a virgin peak (6477m) to its south-eastern side for reasons still unknown. The team includes eminent British alpinist Martin Moran with Ruth McCane from Australia, John Mclaren, Rupert Whewell, Richard Payne from the United Kingdom, Anthony Sudekum and Ronald Beimel from the United States, liaison officer Chetan Pandey from the Indian Mountaineering Foundation.

Pithoragarh District Magistrate Vijay Kumar Jogdande told Dream Wanderlust that seven bodies were dug out from under the snow and are kept at a temporary camp, to be brought down in the next 3 days. Assuring that the search for one remaining climber would still go on, he added, “They were recovered at the avalanche site at an altitude of 5700m. The recovery team comprises a total of 32 members from ITBP. Out of them, only 18 are at the avalanche site, whereas, 10 are at the base camp, and the rest is for other supportive efforts.”

The District Administration of Pithoragarh aims to transport the bodies by helicopter to Pithoragarh where further post mortem will be carried out. District Administration states that this could take 2-3 days. Col. (Retd.) H.S. Chauhan, honorary president of the Indian Mountaineering Foundation, has also put a light upon the likelihood of an airlift of the bodies depending on weather conditions in the next few days. Besides the possibilities of helicopter evacuation, most likely, a helipad might also to be built to bring them down, according to the former IMF president and ex-Indian Air Force Wing Commander – Amit Chowdhury.

He holds no new information about where the bodies are currently located right now after having been dug out from the snow-clad steep gradient by ITBP. Soldiers are supposed to have brought the bodies down to an intermediate camp and awaiting further instructions to be able to carry the bodies down. IMF had sent another ground-rescue team of experienced mountaineers from Pindari glacier side that moved alongside a back-up ITBP team from the same side. They supposedly are still in touch. 

Partial ITBP Team before leaving for the recovery mission (Courtesy: Instagram/ITBP_Official)