Trekker missing after avalanche near Friendship Peak in Himachal Pradesh

A trekker has gone missing after an avalanche near the Friendship Peak in Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu district, officials said.

Sachin and Ashutosh, residents of Chopal in Shimla district, and Sahil from Manali had started their trek to the peak on November 17, they said on Sunday.

However, Sachin returned to the base camp due to high-altitude sickness while the remaining two continued their journey, the officials said.

Ashutosh, who was on the edge of the mountain, was hit by the avalanche when he was just 20 metres short of the summit and he fell towards the Dhundi–Atal tunnel side on Saturday, Adventure Tour Operator Association vice president Joginder Thakur said. Sahil came back to Manali and reported the matter to police following which a nine-member search team was formed to look for the missing trekker.

Thakur was part of the team that carried out search operations on Sunday, with sources saying it is yet to locate Ashutosh. The team has four police personnel, including the local station house officer, and five well-trained and equipped personnel from the Adventure Tour Operator Association.

The search team returned late on Sunday evening and will resume the search operations on Monday morning. A team from the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports in Manali will join the search on Monday.