Killer hills claim 4 lives, bad year for foreign travellers to Uttarkashi

DEHRADUN: 2016 is proving to be a bad year for foreign travellers who flock to the state to soak in its lush landscape or for some adrenaline rush. Four foreign nationals have lost their lives in separate incidents in Uttarkashi district this year.
On May 12, 22-year-old British biker Victor James Fox, who was on an expedition from Rishikesh to Gangotri lost balance and fell into a 200m gorge along with his bike in Nalupani area of Uttarakashi.After a three-hour operation by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and local police, he was rescued but died on the way to the hospital.
A fortnight later, a 24-year-old French national lost his life while his Lithuanian friend was injured as the overloaded jeep they were travelling in fell into a gorge at Silai bend on the Yamunotri route in Uttarkashi district on May 25. Martin Burno Georges died and his friend Gretha Valiukaite, 24, were returning after paying obeisance at Yamunotri.
More recently, Polish climbers Lukasz Jan Chrzanowski (42) and his friend Greg Michael, 46, went missing while on an expedition to the 6,200m high Shivling peak in Uttarkashi district. Chrzanowski was located by the rescue teams but slipped into a deep gorge before he could be rescued. His body has been recovered but the other climber is yet to be traced.
A week later, Israeli trekker Ariel Frajman, 56, has died after falling into a gorge on the way to Gaumukh. Frajman’s body was brought to Uttarkashi on Wednesday.
Tourism is the mainstay of Uttarakhand’s economy. One of the state’s more popular districts, Uttarkashi, not only draws tourists seeking a soulful, spiritual experience but is also thronged by adventure lovers. The district is now getting a bad rap among foreign tourists after four deaths have been reported in a short span of time.
Talking to TOI, Satish Bahuguna from the tourism department said, “A number of tourists from the US and the UK flock to Uttarakhand every year.”
(With inputs from Seema Sharma)