Nepal: 6 Indian tourists missing in snow; search operations on
What's the story
Six Indian tourists, two women and four men, have gone missing while trekking to Shey-Phoksundo Lake in Nepal. The group was last seen near Numla Pass and Bagla Pass, situated between Ward Nos. 4 and 8 of Shey-Phoksundo Rural Municipality. Search operations are currently underway but are being hampered by bad weather conditions and poor mobile network connectivity.
Local warnings
Tourists ignored local warnings about difficult weather conditions
Local guides believe that the tourists might have gotten stuck in the snow while returning from a high-altitude area. They had ignored warnings from locals about difficult weather and mountain conditions.
Dolpa Chief District Officer Junu Hamal confirmed this, saying, "The tourists became stranded while returning from Dho toward Phoksundo Lake."
Communication issues
Lack of mobile connectivity hampers rescue efforts
Shey-Phoksundo Rural Municipality Chairman Dhawa Samduk Gurung said the lack of mobile phone connectivity in mountain passes has made it difficult to contact the missing tourists.
"Mobile phone communication is unavailable in the mountain passes between Wards 4 and 8," Gurung said.
This has made it hard for authorities to determine their exact location and condition.
Ongoing efforts
Helicopter requested for search and rescue operations
Dolpa Deputy Superintendent of Police Anil Raj Giri confirmed that the six Indian tourists remain out of contact.
Authorities have requested a helicopter for search and rescue operations; however, heavy snowfall and poor weather conditions are hampering these efforts.
A team from the Nepal Army has also been deployed to assist in locating the missing tourists.
Rising tourism
Tourist visits to Shey-Phoksundo Lake continue to rise
Despite the ongoing rescue efforts, tourist visits to Shey-Phoksundo Lake have increased over the years.
Official data shows that 4,882 tourists visited Phoksundo Lake during the first 11 months of fiscal year 2082/83.
The District Administration Office also reported that 244 tourists have reached Upper Dolpa recently, including Nepali nationals and visitors from SAARC countries and other foreign nations.