A Longing mother | Teary eyes | Trembling heart | Appeals for one last Search operation for Everester Tapi Mra |

By Jon Pebi Tato

The unprecedented report on the missing mountaineers, the first everester from the state Tapi Mra & his companion Niku Dao not just quivered the entire state but thunderstruck his family. The day was the 29th of August when it had occurred.

Abruptly the East Kameng Administration rushed into action, began preparing for the search & rescue operation, to trace the missing mountaineers. There has been a series of search & rescue operations by the Indian Armies, porters, and others, it bestowed a ray of hope to the families of Mra and Duo but the news of the final call off on the search operation on Wednesday ie, 21st of September 2022, left the families of the mountaineers desolated.

The family members of the missing Everester Tapi Mra on wednesday, appealed to the state government and the concerned administration for one last search and rescue operation after it was called off for the final time.

The news of their missing on the 29th of August 2022 left the families broken and saddened, however, there was always a hope that one day the search and rescue team would bring back the everester.

On the 21st of September 2022 the family members while addressing the media broke down, shedding tears of sadness & hopelessness.

"It's been more than month that I have heard the missing report, Now I want to go the mountain myself on behalf of my family," said Juna Gollo Mra (wife of the everester Tapi Mra)

She further appealed to the CMO to facilitate her another rescue operation one last time.

"I am not satisfied with the search & rescue operation, that they have done along the camp-1 & 2, however, Mra must have crossed base camp 2 and beyond" she added while appealing the government for another operation.

She further said, "How can I live the rest of my life without even having a single trace of him"

The longing mother of the missing everester Smt Yasu Mra, informed that she always keeps gazing at the door when his son would return when she will hear a news of a successful rescue.

Shedding heavy tears in her eyes she requested the authority to let her bury in the site where his son has gone missing or unfortunately gone forever"

The thunderstruck family of the missing everester bears the unfortunate report for more than a month.

Yato Mra Nilo the sister of Tapi Mra informed that she had requested the administration in Seppa to drop the local mountaineer along with the Indian Army on the site, however, the request was not heard on which she expressed dissatisfaction.

"I never expected that the rescue operation would be called off so early, This has literally broken my heart" stated Nilo.

She further said, "I encouraged my family to meet the chief minister and appeal to him to let the family member be airlifted with the rescue team on the base campsite "

"We will be satisfied if we are dropped on the site and even if we die on the site while search and rescue operation, it is at our own risk, " added Nilo while expressing her sadness and willingness for one last search and rescue operation.

On 30th of August , the 11th Para Special Forces Colonel Abhinav Verma,  stationed at Seppa, had been made the operation head and the entire operation was designed on two-pronged strategy- the helicopter search and rescue operation and foot-based SAR operation. Helicopter SAR Op was led by Major Navneet Singh Rana, 11 Para (SF) including 11 other ranks.

Two ALH and two Cheetah helicopters was put on standby at Tezpur. 

Foot-based SAR Op was headed by Captain Longjam Posy Singh, 11 Para (SF) including three officers; 5 JCOs; 26 other ranks (total 34 personnel).

Three mountaineers Everesters Tame Bagang, Tagit Sorang, and mountaineer Taru Hai assisted the army. Even a medical team was set up in Longchu village with ambulances stationed at Veo village, the last road head points to Mt. Khyarii Satam.

Five satellite phones and 60 porters were arranged for supporting the foot insertion team in transporting ration, bedding, mountaineering equipment etc.

The sixteen-member IRS team included  Chayang Tajo additional deputy commissioner Rajib Chiduni as incident commander, DRDA project director Asok Tajo as planning and logistic head.

The rescue team comprising armed forces, mountaineers and local experts would be leaving Seppa for Veo village under Sawa circle, a first forward point, on Thursday morning.

Chayang Tajo EAC Abu Taba who is deputy incident commander would be coordinating with the rescue and search operation team at the first forward point.

The student organization AAPSU even went on to appeal to the state government to announce an award for the finders/informers for the early rescue process.

Thereafter there had many more series of operations, even a team comprising of 31 Army Personnel, 3 Local Mountaineers, and around 60 porters left for the foot-based search & rescue operation for  Mountaineer Tapi Mra & his associate Niku Dao on September 1, 2022, but the inclement weather thwarted all the rescue operations and on 21st of September, the operations were finally called off for the final time.

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