POKHARA, Nov 24: Police have safely rescued a group of foreign tourists who were lost and out of contact for five days while trekking from Dolpa to Mustang. During the trek, they lost their way while en route to Mustang from Dolpa.
The tourists and their Nepali guides had been out of contact for five days, facing three days of starvation. The communication link was lost, leaving two Nepali helpers and two foreign tourists in distress. The police said that the tourists and their Nepali helpers were safely rescued from the gorge above Ghar Gompa located in Lo Gekar Damodar Kunda Rural Municipality-2 of Mustang.
Stranded during trek, Indian tourists rescued safely
According to Mustang police chief DSP Bhojraj Pandey, an Italian citizen Ariana Regis, 45, and Marco Gazzola, 45, from Switzerland and their Nepali guides Pemba Sherpa and Nankha Sherpa were among those rescued.
DSP Pandey said, “They were stranded without food for three days. They lost their way while traveling from Dolpa to Mustang, and their phone contact was also lost during the journey.” The tourists and guides also informed the police about the situation when they had been without food for three days, and resorting to eating ice.
DSP Pandey shared that the location of the mobile phone carried by guide Pemba Sherpa, who had lost contact, was discovered. The police, along with a helicopter, were dispatched through the trekking company to conduct a search and rescue operation. The team located and rescued them, sending them to Pokhara. "After reaching Pokhara, we have come to know that their condition is normal, though they have become very weak due to starvation for three days," added DSP Pandey.
