Saser Kangri 1 Attempt and Tragedy. S.C. Nej led a 44-member Indian Border Security Force team that attempted this peak (7672 meters). They started from Delhi on July 6, approaching from the west through the Nubra valley. The summit camp was established on August 25 and a large team reached the camp intending to climb the peak next day. Due to persistent bad weather Deputy Leader S.D. Thomas decided to descend from the summit camp to Camp 3 on August 27. As they were descending the entire team was trapped in an avalanche and 13 members died. With help from the local army units eight bodies were recovered on August 28. Bodies of five others, including one officer, could not be recovered; they are presumed dead. This was one of the worst mountaineering tragedies in the Indian Himalaya for a long time.

Harish Kapadia, Editor, The Himalayan Journal