Home Minister flags in successful ITBP Mt Everest expedition

New Delhi, June 7 (UNI) After a successful Mount Everest expedition in which a record ten ITBP members and four Sherpas scaled the peak, the team met Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil here today.

The minister officially flagged in the 3rd ITBP mountaineering expedition, in the presence of ITBP Director General V K Joshi, which was led by Additional DIG Harbhajan Singh.

On May 14, right from the top of the world via a SAT phone deputy leader Prem Singh informed base camp about the successful summit attempt by ten members, including Constable Srikrishna of CRPF who later fell down a steep slope while descending.

Search and rescue operations to locate the constable had proved futile.

Nevertheless the greatest achievement of the expedition was successful evacuation of Deputy Commandant Vishal Anand who suffered cerebral oedema at North Col. The timely medical help from Dr Terry of the US and quick evacuation of the patient to lower height helped to save his life. The officer was subsequently evacuated to India for treatment.

This was ITBP's third successful attempt on Mt Everest, the other being in 1992 and 1996. Three members -- Mr Singh, Inspector Wangchuk Sherpa and Inspector Hira Ram, climbed the world highest peak for the second time.

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