MISSING Czech botanist in Ladakh - more info

katyn

Looking for my colleague (45,male,Czech republic) who didnt come back from his trip. He is a scientist with a great interest of flora and was travelling in mountains of Ladakh around August, September 2007. If you have any informations, please HELP.

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PeakXV

Sorry to hear this news about your Colleague, Katyn. Is there any other information that you are at liberty to dispose at this time. Such as his planned itinerary, check-in rituals(if any), or possible planned date of departure from India?

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uttam

Katyn, i am pained to hear about your colleague.As PeakXV said, his planned itinerary would bring people more closure to know his whereabouts. A close-up shot of his would be another thing in this direction. Lot many IMikers are going & coming to Ladakh and some people also have acquaintences there. So may be some lead can emerge out of it. Praying for the wellbeing of your colleague.

camelgirl

Was he traveling in the mountains of Ladakh alone? When is the last time he contacted someone? When was he supposed to come home?

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Nick-H

No name... no face...

There has to be more...

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katyn

Looking form my colleague from Czech republic.
Name: Leos Klimes (47)
During last 10 years he's been working on botanical project in Ladakh, where he spent around two month in year. He knows the local conditions very well.
His start point has always been the town Leh where he stays in hotel (mostly Khayul). From here he undertakes his long-term mountain tour. He usually travels alone (by local bus and by foot).
This year he was supposed to come to Leh 7.8.07 and his plan was a trip to Nubra Walley and later to go to Srinagar (his plan can vary according to local conditions).
Expected return to Czech republic was on 19.10.07. During this time he hasn't contact anyone back home (not normal).
If you thing you have any informations PLEASE HELP!!

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Nick-H

That gives people something that they can work with: a face and a name to remember.

All the best...

nayan

I am sure u must have thought all these points .... but still...

1.did u check if he had reached leh and checked in his usual hotel? (check with airline if he flew in or with manali hotel if he took the manali land route)
2. if he has been visiting ladakh for last 10 years he must be having lots of local friends. have you checked with them?
3. have you checked with the project sponsors (if any)? what are they saying?
4. lastly.... have you checked with the police?

usually the land routes to ladakh are almost closed by now and will remain so till next april/may. very few travellers will go there at this season. so i dont think anyone in the forum will be able to personally ask around.
the locals are your best bet.

PeakXV

The not-so-good news is that he is late. The good news is that he's not too late. My question is to the J&K travel pundits:

Can snowfall be a movement/transportation problem in/around Nubra this time of year?

Whom do you contact for the best detailed information about that region - Officials in Srinagar or Delhi?

tichym

Apparently, he arrived to Leh, but did not stay at his usual place. The police and embassy are informed indeed. Unfortunately, Leos is rather introvert, there is not much info about his friends in Leh. I have never been to India and i would like to ask people from India for more general advice.
1. Will generally the local police do its job and look for the place Leos stayed in Leh?
2. Is there a central obligatory registration for foreigners, so that it should be easy for the police to find out where Leos stayed this year in Leh.
3. What would you do to find people who know or met Leos in Leh (ad in local newspaper, flyers with picture of him, hire somebody (travel agent?) to communicate with local authorities)
4. What are the best sources for contacts to hotels, local police, district magistrate in Leh.
5. Leh is generally safe, plesant place, right?
6. Where would you leave information about your plans before a three-week trek (not talking about that travel alone is not very vise). Do you need generally some kind of permit in Ladakh.

I will have probably more questions in the future. Thanks a lot for your help in advance. Martin

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edwardseco

5. Only one killing of a tourist in Ladakh that I can remember. Only some areas require a permit..

tichym

Thanks, any other suggestions or comments?

nayan

1 & 2)Any foreignner(tourist) staying in any hotel in India has to fill up a special form(C form). So police can definitely trace his hotel.

the hoteliers, travel agents, trek organisers form a tight knit community in Leh (its a very small town after all). Police will definitely have a list of all trek organisers in Leh. Its after all a very sensitive place with regards to India's security.

If you donot know any locals close to your friend.... then the best you can do is talk to the Leh police directly after being introduced through your embassy. call them up every 2-3 days and ask them about the progress in the investigation. Rest assured... the police has a very good idea where to look .... much better than anyone else.

Nick-H

There is a thread here about the efforts made by an Australian family to trace their son who, sadly, remains missing in India to this day. You may pick up some useful practical information among the status reports, enquiries and good wishes.

I think efforts made from abroad, unless or until you have made reliable contacts locally, must be seriously limited. You have no way, for instance, of knowing if anything is actually being done by local police, whatever they might be telling you.

tichym

Thanks, nayan and Nick-H. This is exactly the info I need. The key info now is where he stayed in Leh.
The following info is provided by Leos wife, to help you imagine the situation:
"Leos usually organizes his travel in the following way. He flies from Delhi to Leh by plane and stays in a hotel (the past three years in Hotel KHOYUL – for some reasons he did not stay there this year). He buys some food, leaves spare things at the hotel and follows a track for about three weeks. He plans the track usually already at home (Nubra valley this year)but he makes a final decision according to the current situation (especially snow conditions). After return from the first track he spends several days in Leh, sends e-mails home. He did not send any e-mail this year (not standard, but still no reason to worry) He again leaves spare things at the hotel. After return from the second track he planned to return from Leh via Srinagar and Dehradun by bus."

So the idea is that he did not return from his first trek and that part of his belongings are still at some hotel.
Currently, the local police is supposed to do its job and inform the family through the embassy. They may be working, but they do not inform much. I was planning to ask individual hotels. In the case that any foreignner(tourist) staying in any hotel in India has to fill up a special form, it is much better to ask the police directly as suggested. I will try the way suggested by nayan.

I also agree with Nick-H that the reliable local contact would be the best. I was thinking to hire a travel agent/guide (somebody with fax and e-mail) give him full powers to personally contact and regularly ask the police. Please, would you have some suggestion for a particular person/agency? Is there anybody left in Leh during the winter?

Thanks,
Martin