100-member ground search team fans out for Mra, Dao

Guwahati: A massive search operation was launched on Thursday to track Everester Tapi Mra and his assistant Niku Dao who are missing in Mount Kyarisatam in Arunachal Pradesh since the past 10 days.
While Army helicopters still have not been able to fly over Arunachal Pradesh because of adverse weather conditions, accompanied by incessant rain, a 100-member rescue team has taken up the search on the ground.
East Kameng DC P Pravimal Abhishek said 31 army personnel and three mountaineers embarked on the search and rescue mission from district headquarters Seppa on Thursday morning. Further, half of the 65 porters, entrusted with the responsibility of assisting in the mission, are also being mobilised from Seppa, while the rest are from the local community there.
“It’s going to be a marathon journey. The rescuers are expected to reach the base camp by September 8 if weather does not hinder their journey,” Abhishek told TOI.
He, however, admitted that inclement weather has delayed the search operation which was about to start with the help of Army helicopters on Tuesday morning. “The choppers are still on standby because the weather is not conducive for flying,” Abhishek added.
Sources said four helicopters are on standby at Army base in Tezpur in northern Assam.
Meanwhile, after a daylong vehicular journey on Thursday, the contingent of Army personnel, mountaineers and porters were scheduled to reach the last village, accessible through motorable road, in the evening.
“From tomorrow morning they will have to travel on foot only in the difficult terrain, crossing dense forest areas and rivers,” a local official said.
Tapi Mra, the first Arunachalee to conquer Mount Everest, and his associate Niku Dao, had reportedly ventured out to climb Arunachal’s highest snow-capped peak, Khyarw Satam, at 6,900 metres. The base camp itself is located at an altitude of 4,553 metres above mean sea level.
Officials said both remained untraceable since August 17.
Earlier, chief minister Pema Khandu prayed for the safety of Mra and said the state sports department is ready with plans to trace him.
Mra is also the adventure promotion officer (APO) at the state directorate of youth affairs and it was his fourth attempt to climb Mount Kyarisatam.
“According to information, the two went beyond camp 2, set up last year by Tapi Mra’s team, at 5,119 metres. They wanted to set up camp 3 for the first time and reported making plans to summit,” said Tagit Sorang, one of the youngest Eversters in Seppa earlier.