A tourist taxi driver and former Army personnel, Urgen Norbu, saved the life of a woman tourist after she suffered severe breathing difficulties at Bumla Pass on Tuesday in Tawang district. Norbu, who now drives tourists to various sightseeing destinations in Tawang after taking voluntary retirement from the Indian Army in 2023, 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, started experiencing breathing difficulties. While the other tourists continued taking photographs and enjoying the snow, Norbu sensed that the woman’s condition could worsen because of the extreme altitude. He repeatedly advised the group to descend immediately, warning them that staying longer at such a high altitude could be dangerous for the woman. However, the tourists initially ignored his advice and continued sightseeing.
As the woman’s condition deteriorated further, Norbu insisted that everyone return to a lower altitude without delay. Suspecting high-altitude sickness, he immediately began driving downhill. After descending nearly a kilometer, the woman suddenly lost consciousness inside the vehicle. “She stopped breathing and everyone inside the vehicle panicked,” Norbu recalled. Drawing on the experience he gained during his years in the Indian Army, Norbu quickly stopped the vehicle by the roadside and started administering CPR to the unconscious tourist.
After performing nearly 30 to 40 chest compressions, the woman responded and began breathing again. A portable oxygen facility was then used to stabilize her condition. Norbu said the tourists were asked to keep talking to the woman and massage her hands while he focused on safely evacuating her to a lower altitude.
By the time they reached PT Tso Lake, the woman had regained full consciousness and was able to speak normally with her companions. The tourists later emotionally thanked Norbu and hugged him for saving her life. Norbu said this was not the first such rescue he had carried out, recalling that he had also saved another female tourist facing a similar medical emergency in 2025.
