A team of five mountaineers belonging to Chakram Hikers, Mulund had
gone for an expedition to Mt Tinchen Khang. The team included --
Mangesh Deshpande (Leader), Anju Panickulam, Sekar Sadasivan, Shantanu
Pandit and Parag Pendharkar - all experienced mountaineers from Mumbai
and Pune. Of the five, two of the members are reported to have fallen
victims to the avalanche which hit them on October 19, 2009 at around
1530 hrs. On getting the news of the accident, rescue operations were
launched with the help of local government authorities, high altitude
sherpas and military authorities. The military helicopter deployed for
the rescue has not been able to land due to extreme bad weather for
the past two days. The remoteness and weather conditions in the area
have been making the rescue operations difficult. Contact with the
team could not be established despite the rescue teams carrying
satellite phones due to the inclement weather.

A team of five experienced mountaineers from the Organization are
already in Yoksum, Gangtok and Bagdogra, coordinating the rescue
operations.

As per the information received late night yesterday from one of the
expedition member, Shantanu Pandit who managed to reach a point where
he could contact the rescue team, the accident occurred while the
mountaineers were on their way back 250 feet below the peak after
summiting. Both the members, viz, the Expedition Leader Mangesh
Deshpande and a member of the team Sekhar Sadasivan succumbed to
severe injuries caused due to the avalanche. One of the porters is in
a critical condition and the other is hurt but out of danger. All
members of the team including the porters and guides are expected to
hit the roadhead by tonight or tomorrow.

We express our extreme grief at the loss of two of our very active
members who were not only good individuals but also very good rock
climbers and mountaineers. Our sympathies and condolences go out to
the family of the bereaved and it would take us a very long time to
get over the loss of two of our members who were part of our extended
families