J-K: Army, civil administration rescue 20 stranded tourists in Gulmarg

Army and civil administration on Friday rescued 20 tourists, including eight children, from the higher reaches of Gulmarg in Jammu and Kashmir after they got stranded due to a technical snag in a private helicopter, officials said.

Army and civil administration on Friday rescued 20 tourists, including eight children, from the higher reaches of Gulmarg in Jammu and Kashmir after they got stranded due to a technical snag in a private helicopter, officials said. The tourists -- six men, six women and eight children -- had travelled to the snow-bound area for skiing with two local ski guides, they added. The tourists were stranded after the helicopter developed a technical problem. Army helicopters were later pressed into service to evacuate the tourists, who hail from Gujarat, Kerala and Karnataka, to safety, the officials said. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah appreciated the prompt and coordinated efforts of the Army and civil administration. In a post on X, ''The chief minister's office said Abdullah had directed the administration to strengthen safety measures and ensure a safe experience for tourists to prevent recurrence of such incidents.''