Himachal tragedy: AP govt mulls help from ISRO, NASA

The Andhra Pradesh government is considering taking the assistance of space agencies Indian Space Research Organisation and National Aeronautics and Space Administration to trace the 17 missing engineering students from Hyderabad who were swept away in Beas river after sudden release of water from a reservoir.

“We are trying to establish contact with organisations like ISRO and NASA and are determined to trace all the missing students,” said Deputy Chief Minister N Chinna Rajappa.

Earlier, speaking to reporters in Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh before leaving for Himachal Pradesh, he said a contingent of Border Security Force and sophisticated water cameras will be deployed to trace the missing students.

“A large contingent consisting of Border Security Force and sophisticated water cameras will be pressed into service on Monday to trace the 17 missing students in Beas river in Himachal Pradesh,” he said.           

Twenty-five members of the group from VNR Vignana Jyothi Institute of Engineering and Technology of Hyderabad, who were on an excursion to Manali, were swept away in the river after sudden release of water from the reservoir of the Larji hydro-power project near Thalot on June 8. Eight bodies have been recovered so far.

The rescue agencies will on Monday use site-scan radar which can capture pictures of the riverbed for underwater search to trace the missing students.