Missing Indian climber rescued from Nepal peak
Anurag Maloo was descending from a camp on Annapurna when he fell down a deep crevasse
Kathmandu: An Indian climber was rescued alive Thursday from one of the world’s most treacherous mountains in Nepal, three days after he went missing down a crevasse.
Anurag Maloo, 34, was descending from a camp on Annapurna on Monday when he fell down a deep crevasse at an altitude of around 5,600 metres.
Chhang Dawa Sherpa of Seven Summit Treks told AFP that Maloo had fallen 300 metres down a crevasse on the 8,091-metre mountain and had been lifted out by a team of eight people.
“His condition was critical and he has been airlifted to a Pokhara hospital for treatment,” he added, referring to a nearby city.
Annapurna, the world’s tenth highest mountain, is avalanche-prone, technically difficult and has a higher death rate than Everest.
On Monday, renowned Northern Irish climber Noel Hanna, 56, died at Camp 4 after successfully summiting the peak.
A day later, record-holding Indian climber Baljeet Kaur, 28, and compatriot Arjun Vajpai, 30, were both rescued after a search lasting hours.
The spring Himalayan climbing season had a tragic start last week with the death of three Nepali climbers on Everest.
The trio were crossing the treacherous Khumbu icefall as part of a supply mission when a block of glacial ice fell and swept them into a deep crevasse.
Nepal is home to eight of the world’s 10 highest peaks and welcomes hundreds of adventurers each spring climbing season, when temperatures are warm and winds are typically calm.
The government has issued more than 700 climbing permits for various Himalayan mountains this season, including 319 for Everest.