ES Reporter  

SEPPA, Sep 21: The Search and Rescue operation for  mountaineers  Tapi Mra  and  Niku Dao has been called off by the state government today after nearly 35- days since going missing. The mountaineer duo had gone incommunicado on August 17 last, while attempting to scale Mount Kyarii Satam in East Kameng District, one of the highest peaks in Arunachal Pradesh.
The decision to end the current search and rescue was taken based on the inputs received from on-ground rescue team and Indian Army to ensure safety of  rescue team members.
"Our primary objective was to ensure safety of the rescue team members and not put another person's life in danger while executing the operation. After reaching Camp-2 area, the on-ground rescue team reported that it was extremely dangerous to proceed further and stay in the Camp-2 area due to bad weather, presence of crevasses and avalanches. In fact, the rescue team experienced multiple minor avalanches during their movement near Camp-2," said East Kameng Deputy Commisioner Pravimal Polumatla.
The East Kameng District Administration was in constant consultation with expert geographers and mountaineers who analysed the hazard profile of this region and provided valuable inputs such as snowfall/rain predictions, risk of floods, avalanches and crevasses, and effect of seismic events in this region etc. The National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) and Northeast Spac Applications Centre (NESAC) were also contacted to find clues through satellite imagery which was unfruitful.
However,as weather started improving from 8th September, multiple attempts were made to recce the incident location. Two local mountaineers,  Taro Hai and  Tame Bagang, who went on an expedition to Mt. Chiumo with Tapi Mra last year (2021), were moved to Army Aviation Base for inducting at the base camp along with the Indian Army personnel. Bagang had to return to Seppa due to a family emergency. Hence, it was decided to induct the mountaineers requisitioned by Department of Youth Affairs to join the rescue team at base camp. Accordingly,  Taka Tamut and  Kishon Tekseng were inducted at the base camp on September 14 next.
"Despite various attempts to continue the rescue operation the weather didn’t support to move forward. So, based on the inputs  from on-ground rescue team and Indian Army, it was decided to end the search and rescue operation," stated DC East Kameng.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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