A high-stakes search and rescue operation is actively underway in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district after seven trekkers and a local guide lost contact on the treacherous Kedartal trail. Stranded at an elevation exceeding 15,000 feet, the group has remained untraceable for three consecutive days amid severe snowfall and rough mountain terrain. Teams from the district administration, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM) are conducting continuous ground and aerial operations.
How the Expedition Was Cut Off
The 12-member expedition had set out from Gangotri toward Kedartal on October 27. The situation deteriorated drastically on Thursday when sudden, extreme weather conditions brought heavy snowfall and triggered an avalanche across the high-altitude Himalayan passage. The glacial movement and snow slides completely choked the trail, splitting the group into two separate pockets.
Rescue personnel acted quickly to evacuate four supporting staff members who were stranded near Kacchi Dhang. However, seven tourists and their local guide had already advanced past Bhojkharak when avalanches severed their route and communication lines. Despite rescue teams being just a few kilometers away from the tourists at that point, the treacherous terrain and relentless snow blocked access to the remaining eight individuals.
Identity of the Stranded Trekkers
The eight missing individuals comprise five trekkers from West Bengal, two from Uttar Pradesh, and local guide Siddharth Rana from Uttarkashi. Family members of Rana have pleaded with authorities to expedite the mission, while also raising concerns against the local trekking agency for allegedly failing to alert the administration in a timely manner.
Direct phone contact was established through the trekking agency on October 30, during which the trekkers reported that they were safe near Kacchi Dhang and requested urgent rescue assistance. The agency dispatched a crew of porters and guides that cleared roughly 6 kilometers of snow-covered tracks in an effort to open a path forward.
Helicopter Reconnaissance and Deployment
Multiple agencies are coordinating both airborne and on-foot operations to locate the missing team. On Saturday at 6:00 AM, a 10-member National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) contingent departed Uttarkashi for Gangotri. They joined forces with six SDRF personnel, two forest department officials, and seven members from the trekking agency.
On Sunday, following a marginal improvement in weather conditions, helicopters carried out two aerial sorties over the Kedartal and Bhojkharak sectors. However, the thick layer of snow revealed no visible signs of the trekkers or their camping gear. The aerial push continued on Monday morning when a helicopter flew from Dehradun, landing at the army helipad in Harsil around 7:35 AM. By 8:35 AM, the aircraft deployed a specialized eight-member rescue unit—including two personnel from NIM and six from SDRF—directly into the Kedartal search zone.
