Dolpa Helicopter Rescue: All Six Stranded Indian Tourists Safe

All six Indian tourists who were stuck in heavy snowfall in Dolpa, a far-flung district in western Nepal, have been safely rescued by helicopter, police confirmed on Monday.

Kathmandu, November 2: The group had not been reachable since October 31, as snowfall made the mountainous terrain nearly impassable.

Speaking to IANS, Anil Raj Giri, DSP and head of the district police office in Dolpa, said a helicopter was deployed after the tourists were located. They were then transported to Dunai, the district headquarters, where they are reported to be healthy.

Giri said the tourists were trapped in bad weather in the Danigadh area under Shey Phoksundo Rural Municipality and were evacuated from there. Their trek was heading from Dho Tarap to Shey Phoksundo Lake, a popular destination for visitors, when the heavy snowfall began.

The rescue effort was launched after authorities learned of their predicament on October 31. Officials told local media that the operation was delayed by harsh weather and the challenge of arranging a helicopter in time.

The DSP added that the tourists had travelled to Upper Dolpa without the necessary administrative permits. As the upper areas of the district are restricted, the Department of Immigration issues trekking permits to foreign visitors who plan to go there.

According to Giri, the deteriorating weather was linked to Cyclone Arnab in the Bay of Bengal. Local administration had earlier warned tourists not to visit the region under those conditions.

On October 27, Nepal's immigration authority had stopped issuing trekking permits for high mountain and Himalayan restricted zones from October 29 to 31. The decision was based on the danger of heavy snow, blizzards and avalanches.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority had also appealed to tourists to refrain from travelling to these areas for three days. It warned that road and air services and daily life could be affected, and asked people to avoid travel that was not essential.