Six Indian trekkers remain stranded in Nepal’s snowbound Upper Dolpa region after continuing their trek despite weather warnings, with a helicopter technical fault delaying rescue efforts

Six Indian trekkers, including four men and two women, remained stranded in Nepal’s snowbound Upper Dolpa region Sunday after allegedly ignoring weather warnings and leaving their guide behind to continue towards Shey-Phoksundo Lake. A technical fault in a Nepal Army helicopter delayed rescue efforts, while heavy snowfall linked to Cyclone Arnab made mountain trails inaccessible.The six – Moumita Halder, Piyali Koley, Jajla Trivedi Kumar, Aditya Singha, Diplina Biswas and Rajesh De – got stranded on Saturday afternoon in Danigad, roughly 300km northwest of Kathmandu. Their destination, Shey-Phoksundo Lake, lies at an altitude of about 3,600 metres and is considered Nepal’s deepest lake, with an estimated depth of 145 metres.Nepal’s Department of Hydrology and Meteorology had warned of rain, heavy snow and avalanche risks between Oct 29 and 31, prompting restrictions on high-altitude travel. Dolpa chief district officer Junu Hamal Dhakal said, “The group continued towards the lake despite warnings from security personnel and their Nepalese guide about worsening weather. They left the guide behind and pressed ahead as snowfall intensified, disregarding restrictions the district administration had imposed on travel towards Upper Dolpa. Locals also warned them that heavy snow could make the mountain passes impassable.”The guide alerted authorities on Saturday evening after losing contact with the trekkers. By Sunday morning, the administration had mobilised security personnel and sought helicopter assistance. “We have located the area where they are stranded, and an Army helicopter is arriving to rescue them. We hope to rescue them soon,” Dhakal said.

However, the helicopter stationed at Surkhet air base could not take off because of a technical fault, forcing authorities to arrange another aircraft. “Rescue initiatives are continuing with the use of a Nepal Army helicopter. However, telephone contact is not viable with the tourists as there is no mobile network in the area where they are stranded,” Dhakal said.