More than half a century has passed since a clandestine CIA mission aimed at spying on China resulted in a nuclear device being lost on the towering Nanda Devi peak in the Indian Himalayas. In the autumn of 1965, during the height of the Cold War, a joint expedition of American and Indian climbers carried a plutonium-powered generator, SNAP-19C, designed to function as a high-altitude surveillance antenna. The CIA’s motivation was to monitor China’s developing missile program following its successful atomic bomb test.
The operation, camouflaged as a scientific research endeavor, involved transporting the 13-kilogram generator, containing a substantial quantity of plutonium, to extreme altitudes. The idea was reportedly conceived following discussions about the strategic advantage of Himalayan peaks for intelligence gathering deep into Chinese territory. Barry Bishop, an experienced mountaineer, was tasked with organizing the covert expedition, recruiting climbers, and maintaining the secrecy of its true purpose.
As the team pushed towards the summit, an unexpectedly violent blizzard descended, jeopardizing their lives. Facing imminent danger, the expedition’s Indian leader, Captain MS Kohli, made the critical decision to abandon the nuclear device and antenna on an icy ledge rather than risk a perilous descent with the heavy equipment. This act, intended for survival, left a dangerous payload in a pristine environment.
The following year, a recovery mission found no trace of the device. An avalanche had swept away the ledge and everything on it, raising serious concerns among the CIA and Indian officials about the potential environmental impact of the lost plutonium. Despite subsequent searches utilizing advanced detection technology, the device was never found. Speculation suggests its heat output may have caused it to melt through the ice and sink further.
The existence of this lost nuclear device remained a secret for over a decade, surfacing publicly in 1978. The incident sparked public outcry and governmental efforts to manage the fallout. The legacy of this failed Cold War mission continues to raise questions about the ethical implications of such operations and their lasting environmental footprint on sensitive mountain regions.