#Mountaineering #SearchandRescue #Sherpas
In Myagdi district, Nepal, a distress call has been reported from the treacherous heights of Annapurna Himal. Two Sherpa guides, Rima Sherpa and Nima Tashi Sherpa, have been missing since Monday between the second and third camps of the Annapurna Himal expedition, situated at an altitude of 8,091 meters in Nar Phu Rural Municipality-4.
The Sherpas had been assisting climbers as part of a team ascending the Seven Summit Trek. Despite search efforts initiated early Tuesday morning via helicopter, the missing individuals have not been located, as informed by Indra Singh Sherchan of Dana in Annapurna Rural Municipality-3.
According to Sherchan, the search team, including Sherpas from the Seven Summit, attempted to locate the missing guides but faced challenges due to continuous snowfall between Camp Two and Three. The search operation also involved the use of drone cameras.
As weather conditions deteriorated in the afternoon, the rescue team retreated to the base camp and plans to resume the search on Wednesday morning. Four climbers who had reached the third camp for the ascent were evacuated to the base camp via helicopter.
Sherchan attributed the disappearance of the Sherpas to the dangerous paths and unpredictable conditions in the snowy terrain of Annapurna. On Monday morning, between 8 to 11 a.m., 32 climbers had successfully completed their ascent of Annapurna. Sixty-six climbers have been granted permission for the spring season expedition on Annapurna.
Ramesh Khatri, representative of Kansai Nepal News, expressed concern over the safety of the missing Sherpas and emphasized the need for swift and efficient search and rescue operations in such challenging mountain environments.
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Author: MAYA | HARUTO
Posted at: April 9, 2025 3:01 am