After nearly a month of relentless searching, the body of Siddhant Patil, an Indian national, has been found in Glacier National Park, Montana. Siddhant, originally from Maharashtra and working in California, went hiking on July 6 along the Avalanche Lake Trail. Tragically, he fell into Avalanche Creek while standing on a large rock and was swept away by the strong current.
Friends who were with Siddhant that day watched in horror as he went underwater and resurfaced briefly before disappearing into the gorge. Siddhant's uncle, Pritesh Chaudhari, shared the heartbreaking news that US park rangers had located his nephew's body, as reported by news agency ANI.
"After weeks of searching, rangers at Glacier National Park believe they have recovered the body of 26-year-old Siddhant from India today," officials from the park stated. They had suspected that submerged obstacles in the creek had trapped Siddhant's body, complicating their search efforts. Clothing and gear matching what Siddhant was wearing on that fateful day were also found.
The breakthrough came on a Saturday morning around 10:30 am when a park visitor spotted a body in Avalanche Creek below the gorge. Rangers immediately launched a recovery mission. The Flathead County coroner is now working to confirm Siddhant's identity through DNA or dental records.
Earlier, the Maharashtra government had sought the intervention of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to press US authorities for assistance in locating Siddhant. With the discovery of his body, the exhaustive search has finally concluded, providing a measure of closure to Siddhant's family and friends, who have been enduring an agonizing wait for news.
Tags:
Global News