Police successfully located and rescued a group of foreign tourists and their Nepali guides who were lost and out of contact for five days during their trek from Dolpa to Mustang. The distressing situation arose when they veered off course while en route to Mustang from Dolpa.
The tourists, two foreign nationals from Italy and Switzerland—Ariana Regis, 45, and Marco Gazzola, 45—alongside Nepali guides Pemba Sherpa and Nankha Sherpa, were stranded and without food for three days. The communication link was severed, leaving them in a dire situation. The rescue operation was conducted in the gorge above Ghar Gompa, situated in Lo Gekar Damodar Kunda Rural Municipality-2 of Mustang.
Mustang police chief DSP Bhojraj Pandey disclosed, “They faced severe starvation for three days after losing their way while traveling from Dolpa to Mustang, compounded by the loss of their phone contact.” The group resorted to consuming ice to endure the lack of food.
DSP Pandey further detailed that they traced the location of the mobile phone carried by guide Pemba Sherpa, which enabled the dispatch of a search and rescue team, including a helicopter, via the trekking company. The operation successfully located and evacuated them, subsequently transporting them to Pokhara for medical attention. “Despite their weakened state due to the prolonged starvation, their condition upon reaching Pokhara is stable,” shared DSP Pandey.
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