GUWAHATI: Two tourists from Kerala drowned in Sela Lake in Arunachal Pradesh on Friday after the ice on the frozen lake gave way, officials said.
The body of one of the victims, identified as Dinu (26), was recovered, while the search continues for Mahadev (24), who remains missing.
According to officials, a group of seven tourists had reached Sela Lake, located at an altitude of about 13,700 feet above mean sea level in Tawang district. The incident took place when one tourist moved towards the centre of the frozen lake, where the ice cracked and collapsed, causing the person to fall into the freezing water.
“During their visit, one tourist reportedly moved towards the centre of the frozen lake, where the ice gave way, resulting in the individual being submerged. Another two tourists attempted a rescue but they were also submerged in the freezing waters,” a defence ministry statement said.
Despite extreme weather, sub-zero temperatures and the challenges of the high-altitude terrain, Army divers, along with personnel from the police and civil administration, launched rescue operations and retrieved two individuals. One of them died, while the other was revived after immediate medical assistance. There was no trace of the third person.
The defence ministry said the remaining tourists were accommodated at Army camps in the area and provided with necessary care and assistance. The Army also advised visitors to exercise utmost caution and follow the guidelines issued by the civil administration.
The Tawang district police said search operations had to be suspended due to fading light and harsh weather conditions and will resume on Saturday morning.
Officials said warning signboards are installed in the Sela area, clearly prohibiting people from walking or stepping onto frozen lakes as the ice can be unstable.