Search and rescue operation for two missing Myanmar mountaineers continued in Myanmar in full swing with the participation of local and international rescue teams, U Myo Thant, Chairman of the Invitation of Nature Foundation of the Universities Hiking and Mountaineering Association, told a press conference here Sunday.

In addition to local rescue teams, those from China, Nepal, Thailand and the United States are also joining the ascent in search of the two missing mountaineers, he said.

The local rescue teams include the Htoo Foudation, the army and regional people, while of the international teams, the 9-member Chinese Blue Sky Rescue (BSR) team has changed to join another 8- member BSR team to continue their ascent from China's Tibet side under a revised plan suggested by the Myanmar rescue organizers.

Meanwhile, a Japanese mountaineering team, who is not joining the search, promised to report to the concerned on their regular hiking trip if there is any track on the two missing mountaineers.

Criticizing fabricated news reported by several local media over the Chinese team, U Myo Thant expressed regret over the matter and made apology, while acknowledging their rescue efforts and expressing thanks.

When asked by Xinhua, he also said the change of the first BSR team to meet the second BSR team in Tibet is not due to the first team's weakness but to share the responsibilities as suggested by the Myanmar side.

He thanked the BSR team for its goodwill and kindness in joining the search.

The first BSR team is the first international rescue team arriving in Myanmar on Sept. 13. Of them, four members had climbed the world's highest Mount Everest and had rich experiences in mountaineering and search and rescue activities.

Two Myanmar mountaineers, who are expedition leader Aung Myint Myat and manager Wai Yan Min Thu, were missing on Mount Hkaka Borazi in Myanmar's Kachin state along China-Myanmar border and have lost contact with the rest of their team since Aug. 31.

A total of eight Myanmar climbers of the Invitation of Nature Foundation of the Universities Hiking and Mountaineering Association, set out for an ascent trip on July 31.

The two went missing on their descent trip after they were able to reach the summit of Mount Hkaka Borazi at about 4:25 p.m. ( local time) on Aug. 31 and planted the Myanmar flag at the summit.

The remaining six descended from the base camp to Ta-phun-tan village at 8 p.m. on Sept. 9.

Mount Hkaka Borazi is located in the eastern Himalayas in Kachin state at the point where the country connects both India and China. A geological survey carried out in 1925 measured the mountain at 5,881 meters, also known as the highest in the country and all of South East Asia. Endi

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