Himachal Police resume search operations for two missing French trekkers

Volunteers have recovered belongings of two missing French trekkers who went missing in foothills of the Himalayas after breaking away from their group near Dharamshala in August 2013, which has prompted the police to resume search operations.

On Monday, a bag belonging to missing French trekkers, Valentin Marcel Gorges, 20, and Francois Xavier Camille, 21 was found by volunteer trekkers near the Moonpeak Range.

"They have handed over some material to the SHO (Station House Officer (police) McLeodganj, which includes one black colour bag and a rug sack, in which they were two mobiles, one camera, one binoculars, one book and one trouser. And, one shoe of one person has also been recovered near this bag, and also, there was one plastic bottle," said Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Shiv Kumar.

These items were found buried in the snow.

The police added that the items and a bag have been identified by a French woman who was an acquaintance of the tourists.

"And, this material has been identified by one French national named Selena. She has identified this material and further she has quoted that this material belongs to French nationals who had gone missing one year back," said Kumar.

After the recovery of the items, police would be launching the search operations in the same area.

Last year, a massive manhunt was launched for about a week, but heavy rainfall stopped the search operation.