Six Indian tourists who had been stranded by heavy snowfall in Nepal's remote Dolpa district were rescued by a private helicopter on Monday morning, November 2, ending an emergency that began when the group lost contact with authorities on November 1 after visiting Shey-Phoksundo Lake.
Source: PTI via Connected to India
Dolpa Chief District Officer Junu Hamal Dhakal confirmed the evacuation was carried out in two phases. "They have been rescued through the helicopter. At first two females were ferried down to the district headquarters, and then after, four remained from the stranded area. Their health conditions are also normal," the CDO told ANI.
Source: ANI via Devdiscourse
Police Inspector Binaya Singh, spokesperson for the District Police Office in Dolpa, said the tourists — two women and four men — were taken to a government hospital in Dunai, the district headquarters, and their condition is out of danger. The rescued tourists were identified as Moumita Halder, Piyali Koley, Jajala Trived Kumar, Aditya Singha, Diplina Biswas and Rajesh De.
Trapped at the high passes on the way back
The group had gone to the Dho area in Ward No. 8 of Shey-Phoksundo Rural Municipality, around 300 km northwest of Kathmandu, and was trapped at the Numla and Wagla passes while returning after visiting Shey-Phoksundo Lake, as heavy snowfall hit the area on Saturday. An attempt to evacuate them on Sunday failed after an army helicopter could not complete the rescue amid bad weather and technical problems, and the operation resumed at first light on Monday.
District officials said the tourists had travelled to the area despite warnings that heavy snowfall made the visit unsafe, and without the permits required for the restricted Upper Dolpa region. Shey-Phoksundo Lake, Nepal's deepest lake, sits at an altitude of 3,600 metres and is estimated to be 145 metres deep.
Awaaz Punjab reported the emergency on Sunday, when the six were stranded in snow near the lake and an army helicopter rescue was under way. Read the earlier report