Mountaineers from the High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS) of the Indian Army carried out a special mission to recover the bodies of their fallen comrades.
In July 2023, a 38-member HAWS team set out to climb Mount Kun in Ladakh, starting on October 1, 2023.
On October 8, 2023, while fixing ropes, the team was hit by an avalanche at over 18,300 feet, between Camp 2 and Camp 3 on the Fariabad Glacier.
Four members were buried under the snow. Despite their efforts, the team only recovered the body of Lance Naik Stanzin Targais.
The bodies of Havildar Rohit, Havildar Thakur Bahadur Ale, and Naik Gautam Rajbanshi remained trapped under the snow.
Refusing to leave their comrades behind, HAWS launched "Operation RTG" on June 18, 2024, in honour of Rohit, Thakur, and Gautam.
The rescue team included 88 expert mountaineers. They established a camp 40 km from Khumbathang and used helicopters for transport and evacuation if needed.
A base camp was set up 13 km from the roadhead at 14,790 feet. Maj. Gen. Bruce Fernandez, Commandant of HAWS, oversaw the rescue efforts.
Brigadier SS Shekhawat, Deputy Commandant of HAWS, personally led the search, highlighting its importance. The rescue site was 3 km from Base Camp.
On June 25, 2024, the team set up a forward base camp with two intermediate camps. Equipped with satellite phones and advanced tools, they worked tirelessly.
The first breakthrough came on July 4, 2024, when they found Havildar Rohit Kumar's body 30 feet deep in a crevasse.
They recovered Havildar Thakur Bahadur Ale’s body on July 7, 2024. Finally, on July 8, 2024, they found Naik Gautam Rajbanshi’s body, completing their mission.
The bodies were returned to their families with full military honours, bringing closure to their loved ones.
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