Missing paraglider’s body found on snow-covered slopes of Dhauladhar

Our Correspondent
Palampur, May 28

Advertisement

A rescue team, with the help of a local shepherd, recovered the body of a missing paraglider, Rohit Badhoria, from the snow-covered slopes of Dhauladhar, about 40 km from here, today. The pilot, who had taken off from Billing, was last seen in high-altitude areas of the Jalsu pass opposite Baijnath on January 8. He had to land back at Bir but did not return.

The state government made efforts to trace the missing pilot in January with the help of the Indian Air Force and several rescue teams were also constituted under the Mountaineering Institute, Manali, in the past four months, but in vain. His cap, helmet, jacket and shades was recovered last month by a search party. The family had announced a prize money of Rs 3 lakh for tracing the pilot.

Officials sources said family members and friends of Rohit, who hailed from New Delhi, had been called to identify the body. A member of the search team said the body was recovered 3 km from the Jalsu Pass at a height of 14,000 feet and the area was still covered with two feet of snow. Rohit was an experienced pilot who was a regular flier in the difficult topography of Dhauladhar hills. He was staying at Bir from many years.

The absence of any safety mechanism has made paragliding a risky affair not only in Billing, but also in other such places in the state.