In the case of eight mountaineers who died while attempting to scale Nanda Devi East in Pithoragarh district, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) team has recovered seven dead bodies at the altitude of about 21,000 feet near the peak where the mountaineers were reported missing on May 26. Search for the eighth mountaineer will be conducted on Monday. The team of Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF), which was attempting to retrieve the bodies taking a different route via Pindari glacier, has also set higher camp I. IMF has been updated on the recovery of the bodies.
Pithoragarh District Magistrate Vijay Kumar Jogdande said, “An IAF Mi-17 helicopter will be carrying the team with the bodies back the same way they were dropped. Afterwards the post mortem of the bodies will be conducted. Search for the eighth mountaineer’s body will be carried out on Monday.”
Official spokesman of ITBP, Vivek Pandey said, “ITBP members discovered seven bodies believed to be of the missing mountaineers at an unnamed peak near Nanda Devi East. The seven bodies include that of a woman also. The search for the eighth mountaineer will be carried out on Monday. ITBP team reached the site through technical climbing, as the terrain conditions are difficult because of steep gradient, snow buildup and wind conditions.”
He further added, “Recovered dead bodies have been retrieved and taken to a nearby site. Further transportation will probably be done by the chopper of Indian Air Force. Terrain conditions of the mountain don’t allow them to be carried through land route.”
On behalf of IMF, Wing Commander Amit Chaudhary said, “Our team will be reaching the mishap site on Monday and they with ITBP will be carrying out the search mission for the eighth missing mountaineer.”