Rescue: A student in Ura, Bumthang  who went missing around mid-day November 15 was located in Tang, yesterday.

The class 10 student of of Ura Middle Secondary School went missing after a class trip to Shamzur goenpa in Shingkhar to offer prayers for upcoming examinations.

The student did not respond to the calls of his fellow students when it was found that he was missing.

A search and rescue operation was launched comprising of locals from Ura and Tang, faculty and students of Jakar Higher Secondary school and Ura MSS, and concerned authorities.

The government also dispatched its recently acquired chopper to participate in the search and rescue mission. The foreign minister, Damcho Dorji and helicopter board chairman, Kinzang Wangdi, travelled with the chopper. However, by the time the helicopter got to Bumthang, the boy had been located.

The student was located in Tang, which is a seven hour walk away from Ura, yesterday. The student had used his cellphone to contact his village when he found it was in range of the telecom network. He described his surroundings to a village elder and it was determined he was below a pass called Rudungla in Tang.

The search party then reached him. The student was found to have sustained a minor injury on a leg.

It is not yet known how the boy got lost.

As of last night, buses were on their way to Tang to collect the student and the search party.

By Gyalsten K Dorji