HT DIGITAL
GANGTOK, MAY 30: A devastating accident on the risky Lachen-Lachung highway in North Sikkim’s Mangan district has left at least one confirmed dead and eight missing tourists whose car fell more than 1,000 feet into the raging Teesta river on Thursday night.
The car, with 11 passengers aboard—10 tourists and their driver—had a disastrous encounter near Munsithang on Thursday night. Though rescue squads have been able to bring out two gravely injured survivors and retrieve one corpse, the fate of the other eight passengers is unknown.
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Rescue operations were begun instantly, and several organizations took part in the operation. The Indo-Tibetan Border Police, Indian Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), fire department, local volunteers, and medical teams have been working day and night under the guidance of Mangan Superintendent of Police Sonam Detchu Bhutia.
The two rescued victims were initially attended to at the Chungthang field hospital before they were taken to STNM Hospital in Gangtok for further treatment. Authorities have not given an update on their current status.
Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang condemned the incident in a Facebook statement released referring to the accident that occurred near Chubombu on the evening of May 29. He promised the families of the victims that the state government is committed to doing everything possible to assist them.
The rescue teams are still racing against time as well as the strong currents of the Teesta river. The terrain and the remote location have made the search and recovery efforts extremely challenging. NDRF teams have since augmented the operation, emphasizing urgency and the seriousness of the situation.
The accident location is situated on the Lachen-Lachung highway, a favourite yet risky road to travel to high-altitude destinations in North Sikkim. The geography of this road is difficult, and it is situated very close to the river, thereby ranking as one of the state’s deadliest roads to travel.
The authorities have since blocked off the scene and discouraged tourists from traveling along the highway until further notice. The reasons behind the accident are yet to be investigated, and the identities of the dead and injured have not yet been released.
