Ulaanbaatar
Mountaineers still missing on Otgontenger Mountain
Society
Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ The State Emergency Commission reported on October 23 that the 17 mountaineers missing on Otgontenger Mountain haven’t been located.
During the State Emergency Commission meeting on Monday morning, reports on the ongoing search-and-rescue operation being conducted in Zavkhan aimag were delivered to Deputy Prime Minister U.Enkhtuvshin.
The Zavkhan branch of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) received a report on Sunday afternoon regarding the situation of 17 mountaineers stranded on Otgontenger Mountain after a snowslide that prevented them from climbing down. Ten members of the mountaineering group successfully reached the downhill and contacted the NEMA.
NEMA rescuers deployed from Ulaanbaatar on Sunday evening landed in Bayankhongor aimag at 22.10pm and reached the snowslide site but found no one. It was reported that the natural disaster occurred when the mountaineers were 50 meters below the summit on their way down.
The missing group of mountaineers consists of seven women and ten men, four of whom belong to a same family. The distance between the downhill and the accident site has not been determined, and it takes about eight hours to reach the summit from the downhill.
During the Emergency Commission meeting, Minister of Environment and Tourism N.Tserenbat pointed out that climbing Otgontenger Mountain was banned since 2015. The mountaineers, members of several mountaineering clubs, climbed the mountain despite of a warning by local preservationist, officials said. The officials also denied reports of alleged flash of light on the mountain on Sunday evening.
Deputy Prime Minister U.Enkhtuvshin, who also leads the State Emergency Commission, ordered Major General T.Badral, Director of the NEMA, to intensify the search operations and ensure coordination among the servicemen. At present, a team of about 70 people from corresponding organizations are searching for the mountaineers.
The State Emergency Commission resolved to take urgent measures to provide required assistance and supplies to the emergency workers working on the site, and ruled that the Armed Forces must ensure readiness to engage in the operation if necessary.
By the ordinance of Deputy Prime Minister U.Enkhtuvshin, an Emergency group designed to guide the search-and-rescue operations was formed today. The group consists of mountaineers, parachutists and representatives of rescue unit, army, the police and hospital. Moreover, Mongolian Red Cross Society, the Armed Forces and Authority of Border Protection expressed readiness to assist the operation.
Elevated at 4,008 meters above the sea level, Otgontenger Mountain is one of the sacred mountains in Mongolia that are subject to state worship ceremonies. The last state worship ceremony of Otgontenger Mountain was held in July, 2016.
During the State Emergency Commission meeting on Monday morning, reports on the ongoing search-and-rescue operation being conducted in Zavkhan aimag were delivered to Deputy Prime Minister U.Enkhtuvshin.
The Zavkhan branch of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) received a report on Sunday afternoon regarding the situation of 17 mountaineers stranded on Otgontenger Mountain after a snowslide that prevented them from climbing down. Ten members of the mountaineering group successfully reached the downhill and contacted the NEMA.
NEMA rescuers deployed from Ulaanbaatar on Sunday evening landed in Bayankhongor aimag at 22.10pm and reached the snowslide site but found no one. It was reported that the natural disaster occurred when the mountaineers were 50 meters below the summit on their way down.
The missing group of mountaineers consists of seven women and ten men, four of whom belong to a same family. The distance between the downhill and the accident site has not been determined, and it takes about eight hours to reach the summit from the downhill.
During the Emergency Commission meeting, Minister of Environment and Tourism N.Tserenbat pointed out that climbing Otgontenger Mountain was banned since 2015. The mountaineers, members of several mountaineering clubs, climbed the mountain despite of a warning by local preservationist, officials said. The officials also denied reports of alleged flash of light on the mountain on Sunday evening.
Deputy Prime Minister U.Enkhtuvshin, who also leads the State Emergency Commission, ordered Major General T.Badral, Director of the NEMA, to intensify the search operations and ensure coordination among the servicemen. At present, a team of about 70 people from corresponding organizations are searching for the mountaineers.
The State Emergency Commission resolved to take urgent measures to provide required assistance and supplies to the emergency workers working on the site, and ruled that the Armed Forces must ensure readiness to engage in the operation if necessary.
By the ordinance of Deputy Prime Minister U.Enkhtuvshin, an Emergency group designed to guide the search-and-rescue operations was formed today. The group consists of mountaineers, parachutists and representatives of rescue unit, army, the police and hospital. Moreover, Mongolian Red Cross Society, the Armed Forces and Authority of Border Protection expressed readiness to assist the operation.
Elevated at 4,008 meters above the sea level, Otgontenger Mountain is one of the sacred mountains in Mongolia that are subject to state worship ceremonies. The last state worship ceremony of Otgontenger Mountain was held in July, 2016.
Kh.Aminaa
