How did the distribution of the flyers go in Nepal?

The flyer mission has now been completed and the SAR Dogs Nepal team has returned safely. We have received a report from Karna and would like to share this with you. The photos are made by Karna himself. SAR Dogs have been in different villages nearby and on the Dhaulagiri and have come to something after Italian Basecamp (over 3600m).

People involved from SAR Dogs Nepal (in random order): Jit Bahadur Masrangi Magar (director), Laxman Chaudhary, Karna Bahadur Dura, Bikram Ranabhat and porter Man Bahadur Gharti. And also Prinsa, 7 month old labrador.

Day 1:

On May 24th, SAR Dogs Nepal Team drove to Beni from Pokhara. The team met with police S.I. Hira Thapa Magar at District Police Station, Beni and updated about Christiaan’s case and also gave some flyers. He told us that he will spread flyers among other police posts. After this we drove up to Tatopani. On the way we gave flyers to the locals, students and hung flyers in public places and houses. After lunch in Tatopani, we drove to Dharapani (before Takam), spread flyers to the people and hung on wall of the houses, spoke with locals if they have found some stuffs as seen on flyer. After this we drove to Takam and met with Police from Police Post, Takam. Most of the police from this region were new so didn’t know much about Christiaan. After conversation with Takam police we headed to Muna Village. We spread some flyers to the youth whom we met at school of Muna Village and to the locals.

Karna (right) with a policeman of Tatopani

Day 2:

We drove next to Mudi Village where the new road ends then the team splitted. Jit and Laxman drove back to Pokhara and Karna, Bikram and Porter continued their way towards Mudi Village. After walking for an half and hr we stopped at Mudi Village. We spread flyers to the people we met. We also met with a German guy and gave him the flyer. He was planning to go back to Darbang. We had only very short talk with him because he only asked us for the way to Darbang. From Mudi, we continued going towards Naura. We stopped at Naura for Lunch. We gave some flyers to the owner of Naura hotel so that he can also spread flyers to other people. After lunch we started going. We reached Bagar and planned to stay there. We visited other houses in that area and spread flyers.

Villagers from Mudi looking at flyer hung on Wooden wall of a small local shop.

Day 3:

We started going towards Doban. We knew that the hotel in Italian Basecamp is still opening because there are more than 55 people are constructing the foot trail up to Swiss Camp. We talked with people we met with, spread flyers to them. We stopped at Dhapcha for lunch. The weather was bit bad. It was slightly raining before we reach Doban. We reached Doban and stayed there that night.

Day 4:

We moved towards Italian Basecamp. The weather on this day was good. We found that the river’s water level was high as compared to last time. Though the locals repaired the foottrail, in some places it was damaged by the rain water. We stopped before Sallaghari where we met with a local Buffalo Herder. We gave him flyer and asked him if he or other people from that area found some stuffs as shown on picture on flyer. He didn’t heard or found anything.

Local Buffalo Herder next to Sallaghari area where we stopped by for short break.

Italian Basecamp

After a short break, we walked towards Italian Basecamp. We reached Italian basecamp around 1:30 PM. After a short rest, we walked towards Swiss Camp to see the area. Unfortunately weather became worse, started raining so we returned back to Italian basecamp. But we took several pictures from below Swiss camp.

Landslide area just above Italian camp with new route.

The river view below Swiss camp with new foot trail

The locals made the route much better than before and in some parts they had changed the route. We met with all the locals in the evening. We gave flyers to them and told about Christiaan and what he had brought with him for the expedition.

Locals at Italian basecamp gathered in the evening after they returned back from work.

We talked with the owner from the Italian Basecamp. He told us that there had happened an accident last October. A Nepali porter fell down from the Icy cliff which is below Japanese camp and washed away by the river. He was recovered only after a month nearby Swiss camp. The body was stuck in between two big stone and the Helicopter came and took him to Kathmandu. We found much snow this year in this region. The owner from the Italian Basecamp said that there is much snow above Swiss camp. We also noticed that there is much ice above the river next to Italian camp.

Day 5:

We returned back from Italian Basecamp. We came up to Bagar on that day. On the way we met with other Indian tourists. We told them about Christiaan too so that they can look around for Christiaan’s belongings. We stayed at Bagar.

Day 6:

We moved down towards Naura from Bagar. We met with a family from Mudi who went for collecting Yashragumba (Himalayan medicinal herbs) in the Himalaya. We informed them about Christiaan too. At Naura we had our lunch then continued till Kaleni and stayed there. On the way we met with several people from these areas so informed them about Christiaan and his belongings. Most of them knew about this case.

A couple who were returning to their home after collecting Yashragumba got our flyers.

Day 7:

We walked towards Darbang. We spread flyers to the people whom we met on the way. We reached Darbang and went to the Police station. We gave the overleft flyers to them so that they can spread to the locals too. The officer was happy to help us. From Darbang we drove by local taxi to Tatopani and then had our lunch. Then we went by Taxi to Beni and visited the Beni Police Station again. We updated them about Christiaan after this we drove to Pokhara by our jeep.

Conclusion:

While we were talking about Christiaan and his belongings to the locals, some locals advised us if we can provide rewards incase someone find belongings of Christiaan. There may also come legal issue regarding the stuffs finding. People may become victim of it so mostly don’t showed interest in search of the stuffs while they are on their daily life work around that area, specially the river banks. But some said that they will inform Beni police or to SAR Dogs Nepal if they find any stuff related to Christiaan. We hope this may bring positive result sooner or later.

Links to earlier posts on this website about the area:

How we keep the search alive: spreading flyers in Nepal

It’s almost 3 years ago since we last heard from Christiaan.
The past months it kept us (friends and family) busy. What if they find him or his gear and nobody knows how to reach us?
That is why we made flyers with pictures of Christiaan and his gear. In Nepalese and English. So that if someone finds something, (s)he know who to contact.

Michel, good friend of Christiaan, had a role in the two searches, together with other friends. He is now traveling in Nepal with his family.

Michel: “I wanted to go back to Nepal to show the country to my family. It is such a beautiful country and the people are very friendly and hospitable. Also I wanted to see more of the country because I did not have time for that earlier.”

He carried 1000 flyers with him. Karna & SARdogs will distribute these flyers further in Nepal.
Also Michel saw Suraj from Saron again. Both Karna and Suraj were of great importance during the searches.

We hope to be able to report more news on this site one day. We never stop hoping…



Michel and SARdogs with the flyers


Hotel Penguin in Pokhara, where Michel and other friends stayed during the searches: on the right the poster from 3 years ago, on the left the new flyer.

Mother Margreet in Nepal

To all who miss Christiaan,

Two years ago I had this idea to go to Kathmandu with a billboard with a picture of Christiaan. Which was then discouraged from various sides. A few months ago that thought came back to me strongly. The first one I told it, responded with: ‘Do it!’. And the plan became reality. Alone? Or with whom? I went alone. I made inquiries about the best time, where to stay and things like that. I only told it to a few people. Why? Everyone has his own thoughts and I wanted to do it my way. It was a clear plan to me. Walking around with a billboard in Kathmandu, handing out flyers. So I could inform tourists, climbers and all who would be going to the mountains about Christiaan.

MargreetOctober 17th, my daughter-in-law, granddaughter and a good friend took me to the airport and saw me off.
In Kathmandu was a taxi driver waiting with a sign with my name. He took me to the guesthouse where I would be staying for ten nights. It was a good and simple place. I felt safe. Also thanks to the angels around me. Already the first day I walked on the streets of the Tamel. Because of the photo of Christiaan many – mainly Nepalese – were interested. Most of them took photographs, which they placed on Facebook!
When I returned to the guesthouse, it turned out that a pastor of the Church of the Nazarene had already been there to greet me.

I had a strong desire to share my adventures with friends and family and so the WhatsApp group app started. What a joy such a group. So much sympathy and so much kindness. Many thanks to all!

That’s how it went every day. Many conversations, many questions. Not so much by the tourists. They had their eyes on what they wanted to do. When they almost went home, they were more interested. The Nepalese always asked how long he was missing. When I said two years, they shook their head. Until I got the idea to say: two years, five months and six days. They had no answer to that!

I met people from the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand. Every meeting was special, but very special was the meeting with four Australian ladies. One of them said: ‘I would do the same’. Two Dutch girls and a Spaniard joined us. We were standing in the sun and there was so much sympathy, so much cordiality, so much kindness, so many emotions … At the end of this meeting there was an international group hug. The Spaniard, the only male, asked: May I participate too? Of course! What a precious moment!!

With Anjan

In the meantime I had met the pastor and his son. The father had to go to a conference, but I was allowed to consult the son at all times, which I did a few days later. I wanted to see something of the surroundings. He took me to two temples. A Buddhist and a Hindu. At the first one I saw remnants of the earthquake. In the second, there were plenty of cremations going on. Would it have smelled like that in the incinerators during the Second World War?

The contact with the son, Anjan, was good. A very sympathetic young man. Still a student. At the end of the week we went to a church together, just on the outside of Kathmandu. There I was asked to tell something and he translated. This was new for him, for us. We had a good click.

 

During the week I had a meeting with Karna, from SARdogs, you find him mentioned earlier on the site, and Suraj, who took great responsibility in the search for Christiaan, two years ago.
Karna also appears to be a drawing and painting talent. Very special to meet them.

With Karna With Suraj
Picture with Karna & Suraj

And now?
I don’t know.
I’m reorienting.
With God all things are possible. He is the Almighty!

Kind regards,
Margreet (mother of Christiaan)

Results of the DNA research on piece of helmet

Impressive to see how everyone still sympathizes with us. Despite the holiday season and the decreasing amount updates on this website.

The piece of helmet has been researched. The results of the DNA research are here. The conclusion is: The DNA profile on the helmet has not the required 50% match with the DNA profile of his mother.

Pathologist Frank van de Goot says: “That means that the helmet has not been touched in such a way that a trace is left behind by Christiaan, or that because of transportation (water, rain, time, UV, mold and microbial activity) the profile that’s been present, is no longer detectable. “

helm

In other words: it can still be the helmet of Christiaan, but his DNA profile is not detectable.

Meanwhile we prepare ourselves to see if and how we can continue the search when the monsoon is over.
Do you like to help or do you have any tips, please let us know through the tips page.

Update June 4th (morning)

The weather was good this morning. The helicopter took an half hour visual spot on difficult areas above the basecamp en Italian camp. the SARON team was dropped at the agreed location, Italian camp and Paul it there. They will work their way up. The dogteam is dropped at basecamp. They will work to Italian camp. Ruben and Paul are ok.