With no clues available about the missing mountaineer, Malli Masthan Babu, for the past five days, his family members have sought intensified search for him in the Chile mountains in South America.
Dr. Dorasanamma, sister of the mountaineer, has left for Hyderabad to push for greater efforts for saving her brother who went missing in the mountains during an expedition there.
Kavadi Srinu, a cousin of Masthan Babu, said they were informed that the Indian High Commission had alerted the government in Chile, and that search operations had begun with the help of helicopters.
Masthan Babu hails from a humble, poor family in Gandhi Jana Sangham, a tribal locality in Sangam town of Nellore district.
Masthanamma, mother of the mountaineer and Prakasam, his brother, had requested the district authorities to take up the issue with the Central government and get immediate action for saving Babu’s life.
“In all, four members went to climb the mountain, but three returned owing to tough weather conditions. Babu went ahead,” said Mr. Srinu. He said Babu had never wavered in the face of any tough situation regardless of the level of risk involved in such expeditions. It was with the same zeal that the mountaineer could scale the highest peaks spread over seven continents.
Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Minister for NRI Affairs Palle Raghunatha Reddy instructed officials to coordinate and step up efforts for bringing back the missing mountaineer. The AP NRI special secretary has been asked to handle the issue with top priority.
Search operations on with the help of choppers
