The bodies of two more trekkers among the eight people who went missing after a massive avalanche on Uttarkashi district’s Kedartal trek route on October 29 were recovered on Thursday, taking the toll to six, officials said.
The missing group consisted of five male trekkers from West Bengal, two female trekkers from Uttar Pradesh and a local guide from Uttarkashi. Four support staffers who managed to reach Gangotri on October 30 after losing contact with the others alerted authorities about the incident.
“We have ordered a magisterial probe into the incident,” Arya said, adding that the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) of Bhatwari, Shalini Negi, has been appointed as the inquiry officer**.** The 12-member expedition — comprising seven trekkers and five support personnel — set off from Gangotri on October 27 and was slated to complete the circuit by October 29. “The rescue teams will resume the search on Friday for the two remaining missing individuals,” Arya said. The search and rescue teams recovered two bodies on Tuesday and another two on Wednesday.
