“We would like to assure all concerned that this is a natural disaster and our experienced trek organisers paid with their lives to stand up for the team,” it said. 

“Our experienced trekkers Nisha and Dhivya were supported by Arun and Vibin. Two of our experienced organisers took out a 27-member group for a two-day trek along with a local guide. Trained in survival skills themselves, it is hard to accept that they lost their lives in this unfortunate incident,” the message said and added that the fire was a result of local farmers burning the grass at the base. 

Denying the reports that the group did not take permission from the forest officials, it said that the group started off from Kurangani hill’s base on March 10 and paid fees at the forest entry checkpost who issued an entry pass. “The trekking route from the base at Kurangani to Kollukumalai on top is a regular and a clear trail created by local villagers and trekkers. On Saturday morning when the group started to trek, there was no sign of fire in the entire forest range and by evening the team reached the Kollukumalai tea estate at the top and camped there.”

Quoting noted weather blogger, Pradeep John, CTC said that due to unusual depression in the Bodi valley, there were unexpected and unprecedented strong winds on Sunday. “As a result, the fire swept from the base of the hills and spread across the hill upwards. Some of the survivors said that there was very limited reaction time due to the fast spreading smoke.” 

“On Sunday afternoon, soon after CTC reached out to the local guide who was with the trekking group, one of the few who was reachable by phone, gave us accurate information on the location of the group. This critical information was immediately shared with the Forest department, along with participant details which helped in the search and rescue operations. In the evening CTC put together and sent an experienced team to Theni to provide on-ground support,” it said. 

While the Chennai Trekking Club was criticised for organising the trek allegedly without any permission from the officials, its members expressed solidarity with its founder Peter Van Geit by using hashtags such as ‘#isupportpeter and #isupportctc.’ Besides recalling his efforts in encouraging many to take up trekking and adventure sports, the members also put up pictures of the Belgian national (who has settled in India) engaged in various city clean-ups as well as the rescue activities during the floods. 

“He is such a humble human who had spread only positivity. Together, we did wonderful things which made this city a better place,” read a post put up Anu Radha, a CTCian. However, a former CTCian said, “There are also some people who are also putting up posts such as #whereispeter. Instead of talking about Peter and CTC, they should focus on being with the families of the deceased.”