By Shishir Prashant 
PrashantNews
Five trekkers who entered the high altitude Vasuki Tal in Uttarakhand without taking the required permission and subsequently went missing, have returned safely, officials said on Wednesday.
“At around 11.50 am (Sept 30), a message from SDRF revealed that all the five trekkers have reached safely in Gangi village in Tehri district,” a government official said.
After getting information about the missing five trekkers, authorities had launched a search operation in and around snow-bound areas of Vasuki Tal in Himalayan region of Rudraprayag district.
Earlier, a two-day multi-agency rescue operation on Sept 28-29 had brought 67 stranded trekkers, mountaineers and support staff to safety from different high-altitude locations in Uttarakhand.
On Tuesday, rescuers evacuated another 27 people by helicopter from high-altitude areas, completing a major 48-hour operation. The rescued included eight people from Kalindi Khal and eight from Mount Jogin-I in Uttarkashi, besides 11 trekkers and porters from the Vasuki Tal route in Rudraprayag.
The operation had begun on Monday, when 40 people were evacuated from Auden’s Col and Kalindi Khal before deteriorating weather conditions forced the suspension of helicopter operations. With the weather improving on Tuesday, rescue flights resumed and another 27 people were brought to safety.
In all, 29 people were evacuated from Auden’s Col, 19 from Kalindi Khal, eight from Mount Jogin and 11 from the Vasuki Tal route, taking the total to 67. The evacuees were taken to safer locations for medical checks.
The emergence of the five missing trekkers, however, means that the rescue effort in the region is not over. Authorities are now focusing on locating the group and determining whether they are stranded in the snowbound upper reaches of the Vasuki Tal trek.
Officials have urged trekkers and mountaineers to strictly follow the permission and safety protocols for high-altitude expeditions, particularly during periods of adverse weather.