Kedartal avalanche: 8 trekkers still missing after 2 failed helicopter sorties

The eight became stranded after an avalanche blocked the trekking route between Kedartal and Gangotri. They had left Gangotri on October 27, but heavy snowfall and the avalanche on October 29 stopped their return. The group included seven trekkers and their guide, Siddharth Rana.

Four porters who had gone ahead managed to return safely to Gangotri. The eight trekkers and the guide could not follow because the route was blocked and snow conditions worsened. Their trekking agency alerted the administration on October 30.

Rescue efforts faced major delays and dangerous weather. Helicopter operations began late on October 31, and two sorties on Sunday failed to locate the people or their tents. An agency rescue team spotted the tent from the ground but turned back about one kilometre away because of deep snow and the risk of another avalanche. The group remained missing as officials prepared further searches.

In general, an avalanche is a rapid slide of snow down a mountain slope. It can carry large amounts of snow over a trail, bury landmarks, damage routes, and make passage impossible. The danger matters because a route may disappear suddenly, leaving people cut off from safer ground.

That is what happened near Kedartal. The trekkers left Gangotri on October 27, but an avalanche struck the route on October 29. Heavy snowfall then made the return journey even harder. Four porters who had moved ahead reached Gangotri, while the seven trekkers and their guide remained stranded.

The blocked route also limited rescue choices. An agency team moved toward Kedartal but stopped about one kilometre from the tent because deep snow and another avalanche threatened them. Helicopters were requested, but two sorties failed to find the tent or the missing people. Rescue teams continued searching in difficult conditions.

The missing group numbered eight people. It consisted of seven trekkers and one guide, Siddharth Rana, who lived in Uttarkashi. Five trekkers were from West Bengal, while two were from Uttar Pradesh.

The seven trekkers were Tapas Bauri, Ratan Ghosh, Manoj Khovas, Rintu Mandal, Uday Ghosh, Deepika Verma and Vartika Verma. They had travelled from Gangotri toward Kedartal. Their guide was also unable to return after the avalanche struck the route.

Four porters had moved ahead of the trekkers and managed to reach Gangotri safely. That difference was crucial. The porters were already beyond the blocked section when conditions worsened, but the remaining eight could not pass. Authorities and the trekking agency then sent search teams and requested helicopter support, yet the group remained unaccounted for as further operations were prepared.

The two helicopter sorties failed to locate the group because the search took place amid heavy snowfall and difficult weather and terrain conditions. The article does not give a more specific technical reason, such as visibility or equipment failure. It reports only that the aerial reconnaissance missions found neither the tent nor the missing people.

The failed flights followed a difficult ground search. Rescuers from the trekking agency managed to spot the stranded group’s tent. However, they stopped about one kilometre short because deep snow made progress difficult and another avalanche threatened the team.

With the ground route inaccessible, the agency sought helicopter evacuation. The first helicopter rescue operations began late on October 31, after the agency alerted the administration on October 30. Two sorties were conducted on Sunday, but both failed to find the tent or the eight people. Search teams planned to continue despite the conditions.

Deep snow created a physical barrier for rescuers. It made movement slow and difficult, and it prevented the agency’s team from covering the final kilometre to the stranded group’s tent. This mattered because rescuers could not reach the people directly by the existing ground route.

The second danger was another avalanche. The team faced the possibility that fresh snow could move across the route while they were advancing. The article reports that rescuers turned back because of both deep snow and the risk of another avalanche. Their decision left the tent visible but unreachable from the ground.

These hazards forced rescuers to change tactics. The agency sought helicopter evacuation, while authorities sent another State Disaster Response Force mountaineering team with specialised equipment. However, two helicopter sorties also failed to locate the group. Search operations continued under heavy snowfall and unstable terrain.

When a mountain route becomes inaccessible, rescuers can combine ground searches with aerial reconnaissance or evacuation. Ground teams can track the route and locate tents, while helicopters may reach people without using the blocked trail. In this case, both approaches were attempted.

The trekking agency sent its own rescue team toward Kedartal. That team spotted the stranded group’s tent but stopped about one kilometre away because of deep snow and avalanche danger. The agency then sought a helicopter evacuation. Authorities also deployed another SDRF mountaineering team equipped for the conditions.

The options were limited by the weather. Helicopter rescue operations began late on October 31, and two aerial reconnaissance sorties on Sunday failed to find either the tent or the missing people. The ground route remained inaccessible, so officials prepared to continue the search with specialised equipment despite heavy snowfall and the threat of further avalanches.

In the Himalayas, heavy snowfall can cover trails and create fresh avalanche risks. Steep terrain limits where people can walk, place equipment, or land safely. High altitude adds another challenge by making sustained movement harder for rescue teams. These factors can turn a route that was passable earlier into a dangerous barrier.

The Kedartal operation showed how these problems combine. Snow blocked the group’s return route after the October 29 avalanche. An agency team later spotted the tent but could not reach it because deep snow and another avalanche risk made the final kilometre unsafe. Helicopters also searched without finding the group.

The result was a slower and more uncertain rescue. Authorities added an SDRF mountaineering team with specialised equipment, while the agency requested aerial evacuation. Yet heavy snowfall and difficult weather and terrain continued to hamper operations. The search was set to continue under those conditions.