[ Bengia Ajum ]
SEPPA, 15 Oct: The 13-member search and rescue (S&R) team, including family members, mountaineers and local porters, who are conducting a foot-based S&R operation for missing Everester Tapi Mra and his assistant Niku Dao, reached the base camp on Saturday, at around 11 am.
The team plans to reach Camp 1 by Sunday noon. Mra and Dao have been missing since 17 August, after they had set out to climb Mt Khyarii Satam in East Kameng district.
Mountaineers Tagit Sorang and Taru Hai shared the update on their progress with Dosh Dasi of the Tagin Cultural Society, using a satellite phone. Dasi is coordinating with the family members and the rescue team. Further, the 13-member team is planning to reach Camp 2 on Monday morning, if weather remains clear. The team also plans to search the rock wall.
The team had left Seppa on the 7th of this month and it took them eight days to reach the base camp. The health condition of the 13 members is reported to be good. Dr Tadie Mra, a family member who is a medic and a part of the team, is regularly conducting check-ups of the S&R team.
The district administration had called off the foot-based S&R operation on 6 September. Due to incessant rain, the porters, army personnel and officers could not cross the Wapriyang Bung river, due to which the operation was called off. On 21 September, an S&R operation conducted with the support of the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force was also called off by the district administration, citing bad weather.
The family members of Mra claimed that the state government did not extend any help to resume the search operation. The present S&R operation is being conducted at the initiative of the family members of Tapi Mra.
