21 detained in Uttarakhand avalanche, Police Chief Ashok Kumar said Indian Air Force helicopters were used to rescue the trapped trainees.
An avalanche trapped 29 trainee mountaineers on the Danda-II peak of Draupadi in Uttarakhand. Eight of them have been rescued so far. The process of bringing the rest to safety is on.
The trainees are from Nehru Mountaineering Institute, Uttarkashi. Uttarakhand Police Chief Ashok Kumar said in a statement that Indian Air Force helicopters have started work to rescue the trapped trainees.
According to the latest information, the team was caught in an avalanche at a height of 16,000 feet around 9 am today. Trainees are being brought to a helipad ahead at an altitude of 13,000 feet, officials said. Then will be taken to Dehradun.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s office said that the National Disaster Response Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, State Disaster Response Force are conducting the rescue operation as a team.
“Avalanche at Danda-2 mountain peak of Draupadi. Teams of district administration, NDRF, SDRF, Army and ITBP personnel and NIM have started quick relief and rescue operations to rescue the trainees.” The chief minister’s office tweeted.
The chief minister’s office also informed that Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has been spoken to and the army’s help has been sought. “The Center has assured all help,” it said