9 days on, Israeli tourist rescued from Dhauladhar mountain range in Dharamsala
Nine days after he went missing, a 30-year old Israeli tourist Samuel Vengrinovich — who had gone for trekking in Triund near Dharamsala in Kangra district — has been found from a snowline area of the mountain range on Sunday.
A special rescue team was also dispatched on a helicopter from the Kangra airport on Sunday afternoon to look for him but could not locate him.
The director of the Kangra airport, Dhirendra Singh, posted on X: “Kangra airport played a pivotal role in a rescue operation for a missing Israeli trekker near snowline above Triund. The airport served as a critical base for facilitating the rescue team’s arrival and departure, refuelling and ensuring helicopter’s operational readiness."
He had reportedly slipped down from a slope in the vagaries of weather conditions, said Kangra SP Shalini Agnihotri. She added that a joint team of the police, SDRF and DDMA brought him down.
After returning back, he was rushed to the Government Medical College and Hospital at Tanda for medical examination.
Agnihotri said Samuel suffered some injuries. He also appeared to have been suffering from physical weakness due to hunger, dehydration and exhaustion. A team of doctors was constantly monitoring him.
He had set out on a trek towards Indrahar Pass with friends on June 6 and on the same day at approximately 12.37 pm, he lost track and disappeared in the forests. The bad weather conditions caused him to lose his way.
Samuel’s girlfriend Ediblam, who was part of the same group, staying in Dharamkot area, filed the missing report to the McLeodganj police.
As soon as the information reached the district administration, the local police immediately swung into action and launched a rescue operation. A joint team of police, SDRF and DDMA were deployed in Triund, Indrahar Pass, Jot and surrounding inaccessible areas. The Adventure Tour Operators Association (ATOA) also joined the search and rescue operation.
Agnihotri congratulated the rescue teams on the safe rescue of Samuel Vengrinovich and informed the Israel Embassy in New Delhi through the state government.
Himachal Tribune