Rescue team reaches stranded trekkers, two frostbitten
Stranded climbers were rescued by the ITBP-Army team from the Khamenger glacier today and brought to the lower camps. Two members of the trekkers' team have got frostbite. Doctors in the rescue team are treating them. A recovery team will try to bring down the remains of the two climbers who died in the expedition, by tomorrow night.
Two trekkers, Sandeep Kumar Thakurata and Bhaskar Dev Mukhopadhyay, lost their lives on 25th September during an expedition near Khamengar Glacier, Himachal Pradesh. Other team members along with local guides and porters remained stranded at about an altitude of 17830ft.
An Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) rescue team with Dogra scouts and porters started off their trek to the Khamemngar Glacier early this morning to rescue the stranded climbers and to recover the remains of those who died during the expedition.
We at Dream Wanderlust have talked to the ADM, District Kaza this evening about the progress of the Rescue mission. What we have come to know about the rescue operations are summarised below:
1. ITBP-Army team has reached the stranded people.
2. A total of 16 people (including support staff) have been rescued by the rescue team.
3. Out of 16 people, 15 are now at the lower camp below Dhar Thango at 14,800ft.
4. One from the team is staying with the Rescue team and they established a camp just below the Khamengar Glacier.
5. All rescued climbers are to be brought to Kaza by tomorrow evening.
6. 2 people have developed frostbite. They are medically treated by the doctors in the Rescue Team.
7. Four porters are staying at 17900 ft with the remains of the two climbers who have lost their lives in this expedition.
8. A separate Rescue team has been formed for the recovery mission.
9. If all goes well (difficulty: the recovery team has to cross a nulla to reach the glacier) remains of the deceased climbers will be brought back to Kaza by tomorrow night.
10. No plan to fly any helicopter/chopper for the evacuation of the injured people or dead bodies.
Khamengar Glacier region (PC: Mohan Das Sharma)
This Trek team from Arette Mountaineering Foundation, West Bengal led by experienced mountaineer and explorer Debasish Bardhan started from Batal on 15th September 2021 and had a plan to cross the Khamengar glacier to reach Kaza. They were trying to open a new route to connect Lahul Himalaya and Spiti Himalaya.
The local administrators at Spiti came to know about this mishap on 27th September 2021, when two members of the ill-fated team managed to reach Kaza and requested them for rescue operations for the other stranded members.
They successfully completed the traverse of the Bara Sighri Glacier and then crossed Parahio Col to get down to the Khamengar Valley and entered the Khamengar Gorge. According to Indian explorer Anindya Mukherjee, they should have encountered a series of abseils while descending the gorge. While they were rappelling the abseils, two senior members got completely exhausted. One member perished on the 24th and the other on the 25th of September 2021. One of the young members brought the news all the way to Kaza on 26th September and organised the rescue operation.
Rescue Team
