Five kayakers are reported missing on the聽Balandkiik River聽in eastern Tajikistan. Ben Luck, Cooper Lambla, Matt Klema, Nate Klema, and Charles King triggered the emergency signal on their SPOT beacon at some point on Monday, September 30. (Ben Luck and Nate and Matt Klema were featured as听翱耻迟蝉颈诲别’蝉听国产吃瓜黑料rs of the Year for 2011.)聽The GPS coordinates were聽38.83227 N, 72.860240 E.
On Tuesday, during a helicopter rescue attempt, a search team discovered a broken kayak with a backpack on it. Immediately after that sighting, another SOS signal was sent 6 miles downstream, although the search mission could not continue due to looming nightfall. The helicopter search was set to resume Wednesday morning.
Ben Luck’s friend posted on , soliciting help from any “hiker, kayaker, mountain biker, or other tourist who might be in the area or have knowledge of the area would be able to lend a hand.”聽Anyone with information regarding the missing kayakers is asked to reach out immediately.