Arunachal: Bad weather halts aerial search for 2 missing mountaineers

Search and rescue operations to find two mountaineers from Arunachal Pradesh who went missing during an expedition near the India-China border have been hampered by bad weather in the past few days.

A team of 100-120 to trace Tapi Mra and Niku Dao have been involved in the search operation. A special rescue team on foot to track the mission has been engaged.

Tapi Mra, the first mountaineer from Arunachal Pradesh to conquer Mount Everest, and his assistant Niku Dao were reported missing since they embarked on summiting the Khyarw Satam peak in the state’s East Kameng district.

Tapi Mra from Arunachal Pradesh, who scaled the world’s highest peak, Mount Everest, in 2009, has been ‘missing’ for more than a week while on a ‘mission’ to explore the snow-capped Mount Kyarisatam, one of the highest peaks in Arunachal Pradesh’s East Kameng district.

The DC requested the State Government’s Civil Aviation Secretary to “take up the matter on an urgent basis” with the Air Force Station at Tezpur (Assam) for conducting an aerial search and rescue operation.

Meanwhile, State Disaster Management Secretary Dani Salu quoting the East Kameng DC said that one team has been sent to Langchu, the last village, to any information regarding the return of porters from the base camp with information on Tapi Mra. “We are expecting to get the info by 7.30 pm tonight”, the Secretary said.