Itanagar: In ‘a major lead’ in the search for missing Everester Tapi Mra and his assistant Niku Dao at Mount Khyarisattam in East Kameng district, the foot-based search and rescue team on Monday recovered equipments like GPS, mobile phone, tents, boots and other personal belongings of the missing mountaineers in a snow covered camp, around 2 km away from Camp-2.
Days after the suspension of ‘unsuccessful’ SAR operation by Indian Army and East Kameng district administration in view of adverse weather conditions in the incident site, a 13-member search team comprising volunteers and family members of Tapi Mra, led by mountaineers Tagit Sorang and Taru Hai, were out on the ‘mission’ to trace Mra and Dao who went missing on August 17.
After 8 days’ foot march, the team reached Camp-2 on Sunday evening, and after a five hours search, they on Monday recovered the Indian flag and equipment like satellite phone, tent, boots, sleeping bag and many other mountaineering equipment – all belonging to Everester Tapi Mra.
This information was given by team leader Tagit Sorang to Dosh Dasi, a representative of Tagin Cultural Society – a community organization to which Mra belongs to – through satellite phone,
Tapi Mra’s sister Yatok Mra Nilo said.
Reportedly, there was heavy snowfall and these equipments were dug out from the thick layer of snow. The team also spotted the footsteps of Mra and Dao in the Camp-2 area but it has not been ascertained whether the missing mountaineers were alive or not, she said.
