Kiriganga, India – Amichai Steinmetz, 24, went missing at the end of July after his last stop in the Parvati Valley. His father is now stopping the search after him, but says, “I believe he is alive.”
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Steinmetz, who lives in Israel at Shomron town, disappeared at the end of July after having reached Kiriganga in the Parvati Valley in North India. A friend who saw him last reported that Steinmetz didn’t return to his lodgings for Shabbos despite being religious. After the alarm was raised, rescue teams and family members began to search for him.
An Indian web site reported this morning that Amichai’s father Yaakov decided to stop the search for him in the Himalaya mountains. “After close to three months of intensive searches, we decided to end our efforts,” he said. “But I still believe that my son is alive and stuck in the high mountain passes. He is strong enough to survive even in difficult climate conditions.”
Mr. Steinmetz said that the searches were conducted along the route where Steinmetz was known to have visited. “We searched in all the forest areas and water channels along the trail, but didn’t find a hint of where he could be,” he said. “We’re leaving this area with a heavy heart.”
The Hindu-Asian news agency reports that Indian police commander K. Induria said that his forces did the best they could to find the missing hiker. “I believe that he died in an accident, the glaciers are not very friendly to visitors. He apparently died because of high altitude sickness or he slipped on the ice or was caught in a snow avalanche.”
Induria said it was also possible that local natives robbed and murdered Steinmetz and buried his body in the forest or threw it into the river.
“We advice tourists, especially foreign ones, not to hike alone in isolated regions. But Israelis prefer to roam about from one village to another,” Induria said. “We updated their embassy several times to warn their citizens about this before they get a Visa.”
Yidden it is clear India is not a safe place for us, either in the cities or out in the wilderness.
Sad, but you gotta be crazy to be in those areas in first place. Especially if it snot for business, etc.
Mind you it’s not safe trekking alone in any deserted foreign land.
CRAZY ! He believes in alive stuck somewhere in the high mountains and he’s gunna survive… how if people stop searching him ???
“We advice tourists, especially foreign ones, not to hike alone in isolated regions. But Israelis prefer to roam about from one village to another,” Induria said. “We updated their embassy several times to warn their citizens about this before they get a Visa.” < As Rav Miller tz’l used to say: “Most Jews just don’t like following rules”
Was/Is he married?
that is so so sad, whether he is alive or dead we should daven for him!