A search operation has resumed for 8 trekkers missing on Uttarakhand’s Kedartal route after an avalanche made the trek from Gangotri extremely difficult to access, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) said.
SDRF Commandant Arpan Yaduvanshi said the trekkers were part of a 13-member group that began the journey on October 27 through the private trekking agency Soul Seeker. The group had permission to remain on the trek until October 29.
5 members returned safely to Gangotri on October 29. The other 8 did not return, prompting the District Disaster Management Officer (DDMO) to alert the SDRF control room.
Search operation faces avalanche blockage
A search team was sent after the trekkers failed to come back. Because it was already night, rescuers initially conducted a manual search, according to Yaduvanshi.
The route between Gangotri and Kedartal had been affected by an avalanche. The blockage has made it difficult for teams to reach the area on foot and establish a safe trekking route.
The SDRF is seeking to deploy an additional team to strengthen the operation. For now, the search is being conducted through helicopter drops, as ground access remains severely restricted.
Yaduvanshi said the rescue teams were working to locate the missing trekkers as quickly as possible. The available SDRF account did not provide details about injuries, weather conditions or the trekkers’ individual identities.
Later update on recovered bodies
A Hindustan Times report dated 3 November 2026 said rescue teams had recovered 2 bodies from the group of 8 missing trekkers. The report provides a later update to the earlier SDRF account, which described the search operation while the trekkers remained untraced.
The reported recovery does not establish the status of the remaining trekkers in the material available here. Officials’ continuing operation is focused on locating those still unaccounted for.
Conclusion
8 members of the 13-person trekking group failed to return to Gangotri after the authorised trek period ended. Avalanche debris has limited ground access, leaving helicopter-supported searches and additional rescue resources as the reported next steps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How many trekkers went to Kedartal?
A 13-member group began the Kedartal trek on October 27.
Q. How many trekkers returned to Gangotri?
5 members returned safely to Gangotri on October 29.
Q. How many trekkers initially remained missing?
8 trekkers did not return to Gangotri and were reported missing.
Q. Which agency organised the trek?
The group travelled through the private trekking agency Soul Seeker.
Q. What caused difficulty for rescuers?
An avalanche along the Gangotri-Kedartal route made it difficult to reach the area on foot.
Q. How are rescuers conducting the search?
The operation is being conducted through helicopter drops while teams work to reinforce the search.
Q. What later update was reported?
A Hindustan Times report dated 3 November 2026 said 2 bodies had been recovered from the group of 8 missing trekkers.
