Operation 'Daredevils'- an epic rescue and search mission by ITBP for humanity and human values

Operation ‘Daredevils’

An epic operation by ITBP for humanity and human values

Vivek Kumar Pandey

The most difficult high altitude search and retrieval mission ‘Daredevils’ carried out by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) mountaineers in Nanda Devi East will always be remembered as an epic to the humanity and human values. The 15 member team of the ITBP led by Ratan Singh Sonal, 2^nd In Command took 20 days and struggled over 500 hours continuously against high velocity cold winds, bad weather, snow hazards and other terrain and altitude challenges including minus 20 degree temperature. In a never before seen operation in such a situation, these brave ITBP men finally searched the bodies of seven mountaineers and took them out from snow at an altitude of 19000 ft.

After rescuing 4 mountaineers (All British) from Nanda Devi Base on 2^nd July, 2019, due to the limitations of flying machines, it was not possible to carry the dead bodies through helicopters from that altitude. ITBP men, then decided to take the bodies by carrying them physically from 19000 feet to 15000 feet through extremely difficult ridge coming in between. This was the most difficult part of the operation.

It was a never before seen operation in which the ITBP men tested their high altitude skills also in such an extreme condition where dead bodies were to be searched, retrieved and then to be transported. First of all, after finding, they lifted the 7 dead bodies one by one after digging them out from the snow. They offered due dignity and respect to the dead. In the nights, they even slept besides the dead bodies protecting them as if they are part of the team. The bodies were found on 23 June, 2019 and finally taken to Pithoragarh on 3 July, 2019. The 12 days’ of being there with those retrieved from snow will remain in the minds of the team of ITBP mountaineers forever.

Nanda Devi is a sacred mountain in the Kumaon Himalayas. The locals worship the mountain and have many folk tales of the Devi. The ITBP mountaineers in their each success during the operation; worshiped the Devi and chanted ‘Nanda Devi maiyya ki jai’ which gave them strength.   Usually, ITBP, while performing its routine security duties also in the higher himalyas always respect the local traditions and pay respect to the mountains. It helps ITBP personnel to face the nature’s fury at times as they always go by the local experience and adopt flexibility according to the weather, terrain and other challenges.

Whenever the temperature rose, the bodies were provided with the snow cover by the mountaineers so that decomposition rate of the bodies could be slowed down.  They tried so hard to retrieve the eighth missing mountaineer, but even after 5 days of efforts, same was not succeded. Instead, some belongings of the mountaineers were recovered from the spot. GPS, Ice Axe, Communication set, ropes, carabiners etc were found. The team got so emotional when they saw a small penguin doll wrapped in a polythene bag lying beside a dead body of a mountaineer. Later, I got a message from a friend of the Australian Mountaineer Ruth McCance, and that, this doll belongs to her friend and its name is ‘Pinga McSack’.

To take the bodies to lower altitude, top class mountaineering skills were required to be practiced with letter and spirit. ITBP is well known for its mountaineering and adventure sports’ skill and training and since its Inception in 1962, the force personnel are known as the pioneers in the mountaineering world. The force has successfully completed 212 Mountaineering expeditions and has the best mountaineers in the country. Every Frontier of the force organizes special mountain expedition every year to expose its men in the field and art of the high altitude mountaineering. In the basic training itself, the ITBP personnel are trained in rock craft and climbing techniques.

The highest border outpost of the ITBP along the high altitude Himalayan border is located at 18,800 feet. The ITBP personnel guard the icy frontiers in the Himalayas traversing through 20 to 22 thousand feet at times as a routine. After such grooming and mountain exposure, ITBP has become second to none in such mountains operations and that is why ‘Daredevils’ was completed with high standards of professionalism displayed by some of the toughest mountaineers. The team of ‘Daredevils’ consisted of the mountaineers who have scaled Mt. Everest, Dhaulagiri, Mukut, Satopanth and many other high peaks in the Himalayas in the past.   

With this, the ITBP has once again proved that due to its deployment in high altitude areas and tough training its men undergo; the Force is one of the best organization in rescue and relief operations. The entire world had witnessed how ITBP rescued more than 33 thousand pilgrims from a grave disaster in Uttarakhand in 2013.

In the Himalayas every year, many road accidents/ landslide incidents happen in which ITBP responds as a first responder and saves precious lives of citizens. In the ongoing Amarnath Yatra, a video of ITBP Jawans shielding the pilgrims from shooting stones went viral. This is an example how ITBP jawans always remain at the forefront in such a situation where eminent danger from nature’s fury exists.