Two 17-Year-Old Trekkers Rescued Near Machi Prabalgad After Getting Lost in Fog

Two 17-year-old trekkers who lost their way due to a sudden spell of fog near Machi Prabalgad in the Panvel region were rescued safely on Saturday following an emergency search operation conducted by local police, villagers, and volunteer organizations. The teenagers, identified as Gauri Ganesh Chandanshive from Mira Road and Utkarsh Bipin Singh from Kalyan Road, had been trekking towards Machi Prabalgad when worsening visibility left them stranded in the hilly terrain.

With visibility deteriorating rapidly and the surrounding trails becoming increasingly difficult to identify, the duo dialed the 112 emergency helpline to report their situation and share their location with authorities. Describing the moment they got stranded, one of the teenagers told rescuers, "We were confused because the fog came in suddenly and every path looked the same."

The distress call alerted the Panvel Taluka police, who immediately initiated a search operation in response. Beat marshals Amar Bhalsing and Pradeep Popote rushed to respond on the ground, while police sub-inspectors Abhijit Vharambale and Vasekar took charge of coordinating the operation. Senior Police Inspector Gajanan Ghadge noted that once the 112 call was received, emergency search teams were activated right away and moved towards the suspected route taken by the teenagers.

To assist with the search across the difficult terrain, police roped in Machi Prabalgad residents Navnath Pardhi and Harishchandra Pardhi, whose familiarity with the local trails proved crucial to narrowing down the search area. One of the villagers explained, "We know every shortcut and ridge here, so we guided the team towards the safer and more likely paths."

The operation received additional assistance from volunteer groups, including members from Nisarg Mitra, Panvel, and the Help Foundation. Navigating through slippery terrain and poor visibility, the combined team of police officers, local residents, and volunteers eventually located the stranded teenagers and brought them safely down the hill.

Following their safe descent from Machi Prabalgad, the two trekkers were formally handed over to their relative, Pratiksha Satish Chandanshive.