Famed heli-skier Sylvan Sudan,
10 others missing in Kashmir
Mukhtar Ahmad in Srinagar
Ten foreigners, including renowned French heli-skier Sylvan Sudan and a Jammu & Kashmir government pilot, are missing in the upper reaches of Sonamarg on the Srinagar-Leh national highway.
A top police officer told Rediff On The NeT that the group of heli-skiers went missing this afternoon when the government-owned helicopter in which they were flying lost contact with air traffic control in Srinagar. Despite best efforts, contact could not be re-established with the aircraft.
The heli-skiers had left Srinagar for Gund in the chopper, which is often used by Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, in the morning. Sources said the pilot later returned to Srinagar to refuel and flew back to Gund. But in the afternoon contact with Kahlon was lost and authorities sounded an alert.
Sudan has been bringing groups of heli-skiers to Kashmir every year. But he always used to bring his own helicopter as well. This year, he hired the state government chopper to take his team to Gund. From the upper reaches, the aircraft was supposed to drop the skiers over the famous Gund slopes.
Besides six French skiers, there is a German couple and two Swiss nationals in the group. They were identified as group leader Sudan, J Pierra and R Maret, Swiss nationals, Germans Mr and Mrs Wues Phof, and French nationals D Lafarga, D Rey, A Lieutaghi, J M Fabre and Pafreril. The helicopter was being flown by J S Kahlon.
There was panic in Jammu when news of the helicopter disappearing with its passengers and pilot reached the state's winter capital. Farooq Abdullah immediately alerted senior government officials, but till late in the evening they had no clue what had happened.
Sources said a search for the missing foreigners and the aircraft would begin early tomorrow as the weather over Sonamarg is clear. They said that since the area has experienced heavy snowfall in recent days, there is no possibility of the foreigners having been abducted by separatists.
"The area seems safe. But we cannot say anything," the police officer said.
He said there is a possibility that the helicopter developed a snag and landed somewhere. "We will begin the search tomorrow morning and hope they are fine."
Another senior officer in Jammu said on telephone, "We believe the skiers may have begun their return journey on foot. But nothing can be said now."
He admitted that the state government is worried "because they would have maintained radio contact with us in case nothing [serious] had happened".
Police parties are being kept ready in Srinagar to leave for Sonamarg at dawn.
The Jammu & Kashmir state page
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