GANGTOK, June 3: The eight tourists who went missing after their car plunged into the Teesta river in Sikkim are yet to be found, with the search operation entering its fifth day on Tuesday, officials said.
They were among the 11 people travelling in the vehicle that plunged more than 1,000 feet into the river near Munsithang along the Lachen-Lachung highway in Mangan district on the night of May 29. Two people were rescued alive, while the body of one was recovered immediately after the accident.
The search for the missing eight tourists is being carried out by personnel of the NDRF, Fire and Emergency Services, Forest Department, Tourism Department, TAAS (Travel Agents Association of Sikkim), and police.
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No trace of the missing persons has been found so far, an official said.
Extensive searches have been carried out along the river downstream, but they could not be located, he said.
Of the 11 persons on the ill-fated vehicle, two were identified as Swayam Supratim Nayak and Sairaj Jena, both from Odisha. They were rescued on the night of the accident.
Of the eight missing tourists, four are from Odisha and two each from Tripura and Uttar Pradesh, the official said.
They were Ajit Kumar Nayak, Sunita Nayak, Sahil Jena and Itshiri Jena from Odisha, Debjyoti Joy Dev and Swapnanil Deb from Tripura, and Kaushalendra Pratap Singh and Ankita Singh from Uttar Pradesh, he added.
The driver was identified as Passang Denu Sherpa of Singhik in North Sikkim. (PTI)
