IAF mountaineers to scale Mt. Rudugaira in alpine style

New Delhi, May 27 (ANI): A 10-member Indian Air Force (IAF) mountaineering team led by Wing Commander SK Kutty set off on an alpine style mountaineering expedition to 5,885-metre Mt. Rudugaira from the Gangotri region on Friday.

The expedition is aimed to take on the challenge of climbing high mountains without the help of any external agency or porters.

The IAF is developing a nucleus of trained and experienced mountaineers capable of planning and leading an expedition on their own. Since the climb has moderate difficulty levels, both physically and technically, Mt. Rudugaira eak is best suited as stepping stone for higher levels in future.

Seven IAF mountaineers including three women officers recently scaled the 8,848-metre Everest in a span of five days from May 21 to 25.

Squadron Leader Nirupama Pandey and Flight Lieutenant Rajika Sharma reached the summit on Wednesday. The first officer, Flight Lieutenant Nevidita Choudhary, performed the feat last Saturday.

The IAF mountaineers have already scaled six highest mountain peaks of different continents.

With preparations on to scale Mt. Vinson in Antartica, the IAF is all set to be the first defence organization in the world to scale all seven summits of the seven continents. (ANI)