By Asif Iqbal Naik
KL NEWS NETWORK
KISHTWAR
A Switzerland national Bodo Rico was seriously injured after his para-glider crash with huge boulder in remote Machail area of Padder in Kishtwar, informed sources said.
Rico had met the accident at around 1.30 PM on Friday and since last more than 36 hours, the injured national was yet to be shifted to nearest hospital as the area lacks road connectivity.
Informing Kashmir Life, his friends said that they along with him had arrived at Padder on October 30 and since then are exploring the paragliding adventures in the area. Rico, his friends said, met with fatal accident as a result of which his both legs were broken with multiple fracture. They said that after travelling 32 KM Machail-Gulabgard track, they reached a road from where they covered further 65 KM distance and reached Kishtwar for seeking the help of the local administration.
They said that since morning they waited for airlifting of his injured friend, but nothing was done added that at end of the day they were returning back to Gulabgard disappointed.
“It is not possible to shift him on bed as no labor is available in the area,” one of his dejected friends said. He said that they are hoping that in the morning administration will manage airlifting of his injured friend. “My friend will die in case no immediate help will be provided to him by the government– we required his immediate shifting.”
Interestingly, Rico’s friend had earlier come for para-gliding and after feeling satisfied with the terrain of the belt, he return with many other gliding enthusiasts.
When contacted Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar Ghulam Nabi Balwan said that they take up the matter with government and the Divisional Commissioner Jammu for arranging chopper for his lifting. He said that the administration is making all its efforts for his immediate shifting added that due to closure of Swiss embassy on Sunday, the requisite formalities required to be fulfilled in terms of foreign nationals was delayed on part of his Rico’s country.
Balwan said that SDM Padder and Tehsildar along with police has been issued necessary directions for smooth shifting of the injured in case the chopper did not come for weather reasons.
He said that seven foreigners and two Indians from Himachal Pradesh are on tourism expenditure in the area. He said that the village is located at an altitude of over 13500 feet added that it is very difficult to arrange labor for his shifting and further said that locals are helping them. He said that he had also taken up the matter with Swiss embassy officials and said that in the morning all the formalities will be cleared so that the injured patient could be shifted. He said that labour is also being rush from Gulabgard beside one party has been kept ready at Machail which will shift him in phased manner.
