Key facts
- An Australian medical student is appealing to tech companies for location data to find her missing partner and his family in Nepal.
- Companies like Apple, Optus, and Life360 have denied requests, citing privacy and security concerns.
- The disaster, caused by a glacier collapse on August 26, has resulted in over 1,200 deaths and more than 4,200 missing people.
- Australian authorities have pledged to share telecommunications data with Nepali officials to aid the search efforts.
- The student fears that delays in obtaining data could be critical for the survival of those missing.
An Australian medical student, Sarada Viswanathan, is urging technology companies to release location data to help find her partner, Rishab Iyer, and his family, who are among the thousands missing after a devastating glacier collapse in Nepal on August 26. Viswanathan has been trying to piece together the last movements of Iyer and his family, who were on a pilgrimage near the Nepal-Tibet border when the disaster struck.
Companies such as Apple, Optus, and Life360 have denied Viswanathan's requests for location information, citing privacy and security concerns. Viswanathan stated that obtaining information out of Nepal has been difficult and that while relatives of other tour group members received some phone signal data, similar data was unavailable for those using Australian numbers.
Viswanathan has launched a petition urging the Australian government to increase its assistance in Nepal. Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Penny Wong, has stated that the country will share telecommunications data with Nepali authorities. However, Viswanathan expressed concern that any delays could be detrimental, emphasizing the urgency of the situation and the shrinking window for survival.
Nepali police officer Smriti Bhandari confirmed that search crews have investigated the area where the group disappeared but have not yet rescued any Australian tourists. Viswanathan remains determined to continue her search efforts until she receives answers.