Visakhapatnam: Six trekkers, who had gone missing on Simhachalam Hills here, were traced after a three-hour search that involved Navy helicopters.
Police said that a group of 20 trekkers, all of them between 18 and 25 years of age, had gone trekking from Seethammadhara to Simhachalam on Sunday.
Around two hours into the trek, 14 of them returned midway, while six continued.
After some time, one out of the six trekkers communicated that they were not able to find their way back. The trekkers who had returned midway alerted their parents, who called local MLA P. Vishnu Kumar Raju and the police.
A search operation was launched by the city and Vizag rural police. Collector Pravin Kumar alerted the Indian Navy and requested a search by its helicopter.
The Navy deployed a Chetak helicopter from INS Dega. The helicopter piloted by Cdr B. Vijay Kumar and Lt Nilabh, sighted the tre-kkers within five minutes of getting airborne.
With light failing and flying over the thick jungle, the pilots decided to winch up the trekkers and move them to safety.
DCP (North Zone) Dr Fakeerappa K. said the trekkers three of the trekkers were airlifted while the other three were rescued by a Greyhounds team.
