Body Of 2nd Missing Kerala Tourist Recovered From Sela Lake In Arunachal

The body of a missing tourist from Kerala was recovered on Saturday from the frozen Sela Lake in Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang district following an intensive search operation.

Defence spokesperson Lt. Colonel Mahendra Rawat confirmed the recovery of 24-year-old Mahadev M, who had been missing since Friday. Local police officials stated that a post-mortem examination is being conducted, after which the body will be handed over to his relatives.

Mahadev was part of a seven-member group from Kerala that had traveled to Tawang via Guwahati. The group's visit turned tragic on Friday when members fell through the ice of the frozen lake.

While one tourist was rescued alive that day, the body of another member of the group, 26-year-old Dinu, was recovered shortly after the accident. The discovery of Mahadev's body on Saturday brings the total death count from the incident to two.

The search and recovery efforts were a joint operation involving the Indian Army, the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF). Lt. Col. Rawat noted that the Army worked closely with the police and civil administration to navigate the dangerous conditions of the lake, which is situated at an altitude of over 13,000 feet.

In the wake of the tragedy, warning signs are installed at Sela Lake and other local landmarks, specifically advising visitors not to walk on the frozen water.

The district administration had also issued a formal advisory in December, cautioning that frozen lakes are unsafe during the winter as the ice cover is often unstable and cannot support human weight.