Uttarakhand: Operation to retrieve bodies of missing mountaineers hampered by bad weather

The acclimatisation process of 20 Indo-Tibet Border Police (ITBP) mountaineers, who have been sent to retrieve the bodies of eight mountaineers, including an Indian, who went missing while they were on an expedition to a Nanda Devi East peak on May 26, is underway.

The ITBP mountaineers are currently positioned at the Nanda Devi base camp, their movement is hampered due to bad weather.

A joint operation was conducted by the Indian Air Force (IAF), ITBP and other local agencies on June 14.

Pithoragarh District Information Officer had earlier said, "On June 15, an additional team of ITBP will be leaving Nanda Devi East. Additional equipment and necessary material will be made available to them at the Nanda Devi East base camp."

Four porters plus pieces of equipment will be sent to the team as soon as the weather condition improves.

The bad weather not only hampered the movement of the mountaineering team but also of the IAF choppers today.

The attempt to rescue the trapped mountaineers from Nanda Devi East has been named Operation Daredevil.

Standing at a height of 7,816 metres, Nanda Devi is the second highest mountain in India and 23rd highest overall.