Two tourists from Kerala lost their lives after falling through a frozen section of Sela Lake in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang district on Friday afternoon, officials said.
The incident occurred when a group of tourists, travelling towards Tawang, stopped near the lake and ventured close to its frozen surface. Due to extreme cold, a layer of ice had formed over the lake. However, the ice reportedly cracked under the weight of the visitors, causing three tourists to plunge into the icy water.
Personnel from the Indian Army, stationed nearby, along with fellow tourists, managed to rescue one person immediately. Later, rescue teams recovered the body of one victim, identified as Dinu. The search for the second victim, Mahadev, had to be suspended after nightfall owing to harsh weather conditions, poor visibility, and fading daylight. Officials said the search operation would resume the next morning.
Superintendent of Police, Tawang, DW Thongon confirmed the incident and stated that continuing rescue efforts at night would have posed serious risks to both rescuers and civilians.
Sources said the accident unfolded suddenly, leaving little scope for a wider rescue response. Attempts to contact Jang Police for additional details were hampered by weak mobile connectivity in the high-altitude Sela region.
Authorities have reiterated appeals to tourists to strictly follow safety advisories and avoid stepping onto frozen water bodies, cautioning that ice layers in mountainous areas are often unstable and extremely dangerous. Further details are awaited.
