One tourist drowned, another missing after stepping on thin ice in Arunachal lake

One tourist from Kerala drowned in a lake at an elevation of 13,700 ft in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang district on Friday (January 16, 2026) afternoon, and another is missing, according to officials.

The two have been identified as 26-year-old Dinu and 24-year-old Mahadev, they were part of a seven-member group heading to Tawang town, about 130km northwest of Sela, the mountain pass where the lake is located.

Tawang’s Superintendent of Police, D. W. Thongon, said a rescue operation with the help of Sashastra Seema Bal and State Disaster Response Force personnel was launched after the police received information about the incident around 3 p.m.

“We managed to overcome challenging conditions to retrieve the body of one tourist. The search for the missing person had to be suspended due to fading light and harsh weather,” he said.

“We shall resume the operation tomorrow (Saturday) at 8 a.m.,” he added.

Sucked under

Officials said the tragedy happened when the tourists stepped onto the frozen Sela Lake. The ice cracked, and the two were sucked under.

Mr. Thungon said warning signboards have been installed at Sela Lake and other tourist hotspots, clearly prohibiting walking or stepping onto frozen lakes.

“The district administration also issued an advisory on December 17, 2025, cautioning tourists against entering frozen lakes, warning that the ice may be unstable and unable to support human weight,” he said.

Officials said that Dinu’s body is at the Jang Community Health Centre, about 40km away, where a post-mortem examination will be conducted on Saturday (January 17, 2026).