2 foreign nationals dead in Gulmarg avalanche; 21 rescued

Baramulla (Jammu and Kashmir), February 1: Two foreign nationals were killed after an avalanche hit Afarwat peak in Jammu and Kashmir's Gulmarg, the police said on Wednesday.

During the rescue opeartion, 19 foreign nationals and two local guides have been rescued. Some skiers were trapped in the famous ski resort Gulmarg after an avalanche hit the Afarwat peak in the region, the Baramulla police informed on Wednesday.

The police said three teams comprising 21 foreign nationals and two local guides went to Affarwat Gulmarg for skiing on Wednesday. The skiing teams were trapped in Hapatkhud Kangdori, situated in Gulmarg, where the people went skiing.

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"At about 12.30 pm, a massive avalanche hit Hapatkhud Kangdori where these skiing teams got trapped", the press release stated.

On receiving the information Baramulla police mobilised joint rescue teams of JKP and the tourism department and they reached the site of the avalanche.

The joint rescue operations by the Jammu Kashmir Police and the tourism department saved 21 out of the trapped 23 people. Two foreign nationals lost their lives. Their bodies were sent to the hospital for further medical and legal procedures.

"During the rescue ops, 19 foreign nationals and 2 local guides have been rescued. Unfortunately, 2 foreign nationals lost their lives in the avalanche, and their bodies have also been recovered, which have been shifted to hospital for Medico-legal procedures," the police release stated.

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Senior police officers are at the site monitoring the rescue operations.