Missing American citizen's body found in Himachal's Lahaul and Spiti; Amit Shah praises ITBP team

NEW DELHI: The police found the body of Trevor Bokstaahlar, an American citizen, who went missing during his visit to the Spiti Valley.

The police found the body on Sunday in a ravine between Kee and Tashigang in Himachal Pradesh's Lahaul and Spiti district on Sunday.

On Friday, with the help of the Dogra Regiment of the Army, a drone spotted a parachute stuck in a deep ravine between Kee and Tashigang. "The police suspected the parachute belonged to Trevor, who was a base jumper," Superintendent of Police (SP) Lahaul and Spiti, Mayank Chaudhary said.

Alongside, teams from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), experienced in such rescue operations and challenging conditions, were deployed to retrieve Trevor's body.

The police believe that the incident appears to be an accident based on the initial investigation.

"The information has been shared with the American Embassy and we are in constant contact with them," the SP said. The body will be handed over to the embassy once the necessary formalities are completed.

After the rescue operation, Union home minister Amit Shah praised the team and said that he is proud of 'Himveers.'


"Proud of our brave Himveers. The ITBP Mountain Rescue Team recently undertook a challenging search operation on the high mountain cliffs in Lahaul & Spiti and recovered the body of an American citizen who lost his life in an accident while paragliding. At the request of the local administration, @ITBP_official team members risked their own lives and climbed 14,800 feet high in the mountains to recover the mortal remains for a humanitarian cause. Their dedication to humanity is commendable," Amit Shah said in a tweet.

(With inputs from agencies)