[Prem Chetry]

TAWANG, 20 May: A tourist taxi driver saved the life of a woman tourist after she suffered severe breathing difficulties at the high-altitude Bumla Pass on Tuesday in Tawang district.

Urgen Norbu, a retired soldier who now drives tourists to various sightseeing destinations in Tawang, said he had taken three couples from West Bengal to Bumla Pass, located at an altitude of around 15,200 feet.

According to Norbu, shortly after reaching the snow-covered destination, one of the women tourists, believed to be around 42 years old, began complaining of breathing difficulties. While the other tourists remained busy taking photographs, running around, and enjoying the snow, Norbu sensed that the woman’s condition could worsen because of the extreme altitude.

He repeatedly urged the group to descend immediately, warning them that staying longer at such a height could be dangerous for the woman. However, the tourists initially ignored his advice and continued sightseeing.

After some time, the woman’s condition deteriorated further, prompting Norbu to insist that everyone return to a lower altitude without delay.

Suspecting high-altitude sickness, Norbu quickly began driving downhill. After descending barely a kilometre, the woman suddenly lost consciousness inside the vehicle.

“She stopped breathing and everyone inside the vehicle panicked,” Norbu recalled.

Using the experience he gained during his years of service in the Indian Army, Norbu immediately stopped the vehicle at a roadside curve and began administering CPR to the unconscious woman.

After performing nearly 30 to 40 chest compressions, the woman finally responded and began breathing again. A portable oxygen facility was then provided to stabilise her condition.

Norbu said the tourists were asked to keep talking to the woman and continue massaging her hands while he focused on evacuating her safely to a lower altitude.

By the time they reached PT Tso Lake, the woman had regained consciousness completely and was able to speak normally with her companions. The tourists later hugged Norbu and thanked him emotionally for saving her life.

Norbu took voluntary retirement from the Army in 2023 and now operates a tourist taxi service. According to him, this was not the first such rescue he had carried out, as he had also saved another female tourist facing a similar emergency in 2025.