Stranded in the Everest region for two days, as many as 15 Indians sought External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s intervention on Saturday to arrange evacuation for them. The minister has asked Indian Ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri to look into the matter.
“Currently stranded in Lukla since two days, Nepal, with copter company looters refusing to evacuate us to Kathmandu unless we pay 600 dollars per head,” surgeon Amit Thadhani said a tweet marked to Sushma Swaraj and the Union Ministry for External Affairs. He said they had paid $200per head fare from Kathmandu to Lukla.
Replying to the post, another user tweeted: “Around 15 Indians stranded right now after the copters they had booked return journey cancelled due to bad weather. They need help as operators demanding unreasonable fare to evacuate.”
Responding to Thadhani’s tweet, Sushma Swaraj posted a message addressed to Puri and the Indian Embassy in Nepal, asking them to look into the matter.
Manjeev – Pls see this. @IndiaInNepal https://t.co/n36LJujmvW
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) May 26, 2018
Due to bad weather in the region, many trekkers, including the 15 Indians, are stranded. The region is popular with trekkers during summers when the weather is pleasant. There is a heavy rush this time too due to which helicopter companies are allegedly overcharging for evacuation.
“Please help us to get out of here as we have been stranded for two days in Lukla Airport and helicopter operators are demanding insane amount of money for taking people out. Thanks a lot once again,” tweeted Sourav Ghosh, another Indian national stranded in Lukla.
Lukla is known as the “Gateway to Mt Everest”. The small airport built at a height of 2,860 metres above sea level is said to be one of the most dangerous in the world.
