Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], November 1 : The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) launched intensive ground and aerial search operations on Sunday to locate seven trekkers and one guide who have gone missing in the Kedartal region of Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district.
On the instructions of SDRF Commandant Arpan Yaduvanshi, a special mountaineering team has been deployed to locate the missing individuals.
Earlier, the SDRF Gangotri team had reached the Kedartal region to conduct a reconnaissance; however, heavy snowfall and extreme weather conditions hampered efforts to advance the search operation on the ground. Consequently, authorities decided to carry out an aerial reconnaissance and search of the area via helicopter.
As part of this effort, two SDRF personnel, Head Constable Ravi Chauhan and Constable Deepak Pant, reached Harsil by helicopter.
Following this, two intensive aerial reconnaissance sorties were conducted over the Kedartal region.
During the aerial survey, no clear visual signs of the missing trekkers or their tents were spotted.
Meanwhile, to intensify the operation as directed by Commandant Arpan Yaduvanshi, an additional team equipped with necessary rescue and mountaineering gear has been dispatched from the SDRF battalion headquarters to carry the search and rescue mission forward once weather conditions become favourable.
Currently, the next action plan for the operation is being formulated in coordination with the concerned agencies. 
Further investigation is underway. 
Meanwhile, following a separate helicopter crash incident, an operation has been underway since Saturday morning to retrieve the bodies from the helicopter crash site in Joshimath and transport them to the roadhead through a trekking route, Prateek Jain, CEO of the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA), said.
Jain stated that the mortal remains would be airlifted to AIIMS Rishikesh, where the families of the victims are currently arriving.
“The operation has been underway since this morning to retrieve the bodies from the crash site and bring them to the roadhead via a trekking route. The mortal remains will be airlifted to AIIMS Rishikesh, where the families of the victims are currently arriving,” he said.
The helicopter was en route from Shri Badrinath Dham in Chamoli to Dehradun when the accident occurred.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed deep sorrow over the tragic helicopter crash in the Joshimath area involving pilgrims returning from Badrinath Dham.
Paying tribute to those who lost their lives in the accident, he extended his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. Dhami also prayed to Lord Badri Vishal to grant peace to the departed souls and give strength to the grieving families to bear this irreparable loss.
The helicopter had gone missing on Friday after taking off from Badrinath for Dehradun. Two teams comprising police, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and Army personnel were deployed from Pandukeshwar and Joshimath to search for the missing helicopter carrying six people, including a pilot and five passengers, Chamoli Superintendent of Police (SP) Surjeet Singh Panwar said on Friday.
In a self-recorded video statement, Panwar said the Trans Bharat Aviation helicopter took off from the Badrinath civil helipad for Sahastradhara helipad on October 30 at approximately 1:12 PM. Its transmission link with the radar was lost near Joshimath at 1:14 PM.
“A helicopter belonging to Trans Bharat Aviation took off from the Badrinath civil helipad, bound for the Sahastradhara helipad, today, October 30, at approximately 1:12 PM. At 1:14 PM, its transmission link with the radar was lost near Joshimath,” he said.