A young man from Pune, Siddhant Vittal Patil, has been missing since July 6 after drowning in Glacier National Park, Montana, as reported by a park spokesperson. Patil, a tech professional residing in California, was hiking with seven friends when he fell into Avalanche Creek on Saturday morning. He either slipped or lost his balance on a large rock, went underwater, briefly resurfaced, and was then swept into the gorge by the current.
Witnesses, including his friends, stated that Siddhant had strayed from the trail and was standing on a large rock above the gorge when the incident occurred. “He slipped and fell into the creek below,” his uncle, Pritesh Chaudhari, told ANI.
Search efforts have included aerial searches by ALERT helicopters and more than ten rangers combing the creek area on foot. Some of Siddhant’s personal items have been found downstream, but the search has been hampered by strong currents and high water levels in the gorge, making it unsafe for rangers to enter.
Park officials have indicated that it may take weeks or months before search operations can resume fully once the water levels decrease. “The rangers received Siddhant’s Apple Watch details on Monday but have been unable to decode it,” Chaudhari added.
On July 10, rangers used a drone to search Avalanche Creek, but the effort was unsuccessful. “Siddhant is the only child of his parents, and they were hopeful that he may be stuck somewhere safely. Not enough effort is being put in by the authorities,” Chaudhari alleged, urging authorities to take prompt action. The family has also called for the hiring of private rangers to continue the search.
The family’s distress has grown with each passing day without news. Prem Bhandari, a prominent figure in the Indian diaspora, stated, “The family is in extreme grief and has been in constant touch with me. As a member of the Indian diaspora, I am trying to reach out to the authorities so that there can be some closure in this case.”
