Shimla,  Rescuers on Monday began a search operation to recover the body of a man from Kullu who had drowned in the glacial-fed Chandertal or 'Moon Lake' in Himachal Pradesh's Spiti Valley, officials said.

The man, Pawan Kumar, reportedly drowned in the Chandertal Lake on Sunday evening. He was swimming in the lake, though taking a dip in the high-altitude lake is prohibited.

Divers from Sundernagar were specially summoned to recover the body, an official told IANS.

The Chandertal Lake -- a crescent-shaped basin surrounded by the Himalayas -- is located at an elevation of 14,100 ft. The lake is accessible only during the summer, as it remains frozen in winter.