SRINAGAR — Two foreign nationals were killed and nineteen others along with two local guides were rescued by Jammu and Kashmir Police along with tourism department after they got trapped in a snow avalanche in Affarwat hills in Gulmarg in Kashmir.
Reports said that on Wednesday morning, three teams of foreign skiers comprising of 21 foreign nationals and 2 local guides went to Affarwat hills in Gulmarg for skiing. At about 1230hrs a massive avalanche hits Hapatkhud Kangdori where these skiing teams got trapped.
They said, on receiving the information, Baramulla Police mobilized joint rescue teams of Jammu and Kashmir Police alongwith Army and tourism department who rushed on the spot and started the rescue operation using all available equipments.
During the rescue operation, 19 foreign nationals and 2 local guides were safely rescued and they have been identified as Ekaterina, Maxim, Vladimir, Vasiliy, Engine, Leo, Nikita Mastryukov, Anna Chornyak, residents of Russia and Rafat Kaqmaren, Narcin Wieklux, Eukasz Potaczewck, Tukasz Pasek, Katarzyna Filip, Marcin Raczyk, Barteomie Szkop, Bartosz Domagata, Adrian Anirowsu, Macie Kowalczyk, residents of Poland, a foreign guide Bartos from Poland and 2 local guides namely Fayaz Ahmad Sheikh and Mushtaq Ahmad Mir from Tangmarg.
Two foreign nationals identified as Krzysltof (43) and Adam Grzech (45), both from Poland lost their lives in the avalanche. The dead bodies of both the foreign nationals have been recovered and shifted to hospital for medico legal formalities. — (KIMS)