Kolkata: Chalo Jaai Travel Club, the agency that had taken 32 tourists from Kolkata and other parts of Bengal to Nepal, kept its office on Ho Chi Minh Sarani open through the night. Anxious family members of the tourists, many of whom have been untraceable since Wednesday, continued to visit the office seeking information about their loved ones.“Our doors are open for the family members of the tourists. We are trying to give them as much information as is available with us. I know many of them are not happy with the amount of information they are getting. But we are sharing all that we have,” said Dibyojyoti Basu, proprietor of the agency.Basu said the agency was also sharing timely updates on the situation in Nepal, particularly around the flood-affected area, as and when information was received from employees who had rushed to the spot on Thursday, a day after the incident.“We have also asked all our employees to listen to the anguish of the tourists’ family members with patience. They shouldn’t lose their calm, no matter how many times they are asked the same question,” said Basu.The Kolkata-based travel agency had taken the group of 30 tourists and two tour managers on a 13-day Kailash Mansarovar trip. The group left Kolkata on Aug 21 and was scheduled to return on Sept 3. Their journey took a dangerous turn in Rasuwa, north of Kathmandu and close to the Tibetan border, when the Bhote Koshi river was hit by a flash flood.Basu said that by 7.47 am, the group, comprising 30 tourists, two tour leaders and five local sherpas, had completed immigration formalities at the Nepal border at Upper Timure and proceeded towards the China Immigration Office. However, the group became stranded there around the time of the flash flood.“On Thursday, a helicopter arranged by our local agency was sent to conduct a search operation. However, due to the difficult terrain and the lack of a suitable landing area, it was unable to land at the location. On Friday, we conducted another helicopter search, but because of the fresh alert, they couldn’t continue the operation and had to return,” said Basu.He said the agency has been coordinating with local authorities, the govts of Nepal, India and Bengal, and Shakespeare Sarani Police Station to seek assistance and establish contact with the missing tourists.
