Four trekkers lost their lives after a group of 22 went missing due to bad weather while trekking to Sahastra Tal in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand. Rescue efforts resulted in the recovery of eight survivors and the retrieval of the bodies. Uttarkashi District Magistrate Meharban Singh Bisht stated that the trekking team consisted of 18 members from Karnataka, one from Maharashtra, and three local guides. They began their expedition on May 29, with a planned return by June 7.
Severe weather during their return journey caused 20 members of the group to become stranded at Kufri top. Two initially made it back to camp, followed by seven more, leaving 13 still trapped. Sadly, four of these trekkers did not survive.
The Himalayan View Tracking Agency, which organized the trek, informed authorities about the situation and requested a rescue operation for the trapped members. Bisht coordinated with the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) to deploy rescue teams to the location from both Uttarkashi and Ghansali Tehri sides.
Sahastra Tal, located at an altitude of 4,100-4,400 meters, is renowned for its seven lakes and is historically significant as the site where the Pandavas are believed to have departed for heaven. The rescue operations faced considerable delays due to the adverse weather conditions.
The District Magistrate also sought air rescue assistance from the Central Defence Department and additional ground support from the SDRF. Local villagers from Silla were mobilized to assist the rescue teams. Coordination with the Indian Air Force was considered to expedite the rescue operation.
