Post by : Rameen Ariff

In a somber turn of events for a three-week-long search, Nepalese officials have discovered the remains of two Indian tourists who vanished in the snow-laden Manang district last month. The victims have been identified as 52-year-old Jignesh Kumar Lallubhai Patel and his 17-year-old daughter Priyansa Kumari Patel, who were last seen on October 20 while trekking in the Himalayas.

The Armed Police Force (APF) reported that a specialized mountain rescue squad, under the leadership of Deputy Superintendent Hira Bahadur GC, uncovered the bodies buried beneath snow approximately 100 meters above the Maleripa Monastery located in Ngisyang Rural Municipality.

“The rescue crew conducted an exhaustive search despite challenging weather conditions,” said APF DSP Shailendra Thapa. “We found the bodies on November 9, and we anticipate completing the recovery process today.”

It has come to light that the father and daughter departed from Gyalzen Hotel in Ngisyang on the same day, informing the staff they were heading to Maleripa Monastery in Ward No. 5. After they lost contact, the hotel staff alerted the APF Mountain Rescue Training Center in Manang, triggering an expansive search in the snowy landscape.

October brought one of the harshest snowstorms Nepal has encountered in recent years, fueled by a series of weather systems. While Cyclone Montha struck later that month, heavy snowfall from an earlier front had already hindered various trekking paths and left hundreds of tourists trapped in isolated areas.

Authorities reported that over 1,500 stranded tourists were rescued from Manang in the aftermath of the storm. Unfortunately, the Patels went missing prior to the cyclone's landfall and were likely ensnared by a sudden drop in temperature and perilous snow conditions.

Officials have indicated that all trekking trails in the Himalayan region had to be temporarily suspended for over a week due to unsafe weather and obstructed mountain paths.

The recovery of the Patels' remains provides closure to a tragic episode that has involved both local officials and the Indian embassy in Nepal. Plans are now in motion to safely transport and repatriate the bodies to India following the necessary formalities.

This incident highlights the unpredictable perils associated with high-altitude trekking in Nepal, particularly as winter approaches when snowstorms can materialize suddenly.

#Global