Army choppers rescue 2 stranded American tourists from Himachal's Churdhar Valley

Nahan (HP): Two stranded American women trekkers of Indian origin were rescued by Army choppers on Saturday morning from the Churdhar Valley in Himachal's Sirmaur district, officials said.

Sirmaur Deputy Commissioner Sumit Khimta told PTI that two American citizens Richa Abhay Sonawane and Sonia Ratan were rescued from Teesri on the Nohradhar-Churdhar trek route with the help of two Army choppers and have been admitted in a hospital in Chandigarh.

Both the American women, who were born in India, are out of danger, he added.

Khimta said the district administration got a phone call from Joginder Singh, a resident of Nohradhar village, on Friday late evening informing that two women travellers were struck at Teesri, about 10 km away from Nohradhar, after one of them (Sonia Ratan) had some health problem.

He said a team comprising officials from the police, health and revenue departments were rushed to the spot. The teams provided immediate medical help to the tourists and later teams of NDRF and SDRF also reached the spot.

After the Home Ministry and Ministry of External Affairs were alerted about the incident, two Army helicopters were requisitioned.

Around 6.30 am on Saturday, two army choppers landed in the area and the stranded tourists were rescued with the help of NDRF and SDRF jawans who carried them up to the helicopters, Khimta said.

Ramlal, a local resident of the Haripurdhar area, told PTI that currently the weather in the Churdhar valley is very hostile and people must avoid trekking to the Churdhar peak under such circumstances.