By Our Staff Reporter
Uttarkashi, 7 Oct: Rescue operation is still underway in Draupadi Danda site in district Uttarkashi, to bring the bodies of the avalanche victims. So far 26 bodies have been recovered from the Avalanche site and brought to the Base camp. Today, bodies of 7 more climbers were recovered. This morning 2 helicopters from Harshil took off for the site of the tragedy in search of the remaining 10 missing trainees. The bodies were also being searched by the rescue team deployed at the Advance Base Camp. Out of these, the bodies of 7 have been found. Now three people are still missing. Uttarakhand DGP Ashok Kumar informed that a total of 26 bodies have been recovered from the crack caused by the avalanche. Today, the bodies were brought to the Mauli helipad by an advanced light helicopter. The DGP said that a total of 30 rescue teams are deployed. A total of 30 people from various teams of ITBP, Nehru Mountaineering Institute, Air Force, Army, SDRF etc have been deployed.
It may be recalled that yesterday, at Draupadi Ka Danda in Uttarkashi district, the rescue teams could not reach the climbers due to bad weather and continued snowing. Till yesterday, in all 16 bodies had been recovered from the accident site. Among the recovered bodies, were also the bodies of two trainers and 14 trainees. As of Thursday, 13 climbers were missing. Due to bad weather in Draupadi Ka Danda, the rescue work had to be stopped. Light snowfall had started in the higher reaches of Uttarkashi. During the rescue on Thursday morning, with the help of helicopter, the search and rescue team had brought the bodies of a total of nine people to the Advance Base Camp.
It may be recalled that a group of 42 climbers of Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, who had gone for training in the high Himalayan region, had been hit by a strong avalanche near Draupadi Ka Danda 2 mountain peak on Tuesday morning. Everest winner Savita Kanswal of Lonthru village of Uttarkashi and Naumi Rawat of Bhukki village were among those who perished in the accident. Draupadi Ka Danda mountain peak is situated above Bhukki village in Bhatwadi block of Uttarkashi.
