Five climbers including Baljeet Kaur airlifted from Mt Annapurna to Kathmandu

Kathmandu [Nepal], April 18 (ANI): Authorities have rescued a total of 5 climbers from the high camps of Mount Annapurna including record-setting Indian female climber Baljeet Kaur.

Kaur who went missing above Camp IV of Mount Annapurna has been rescued from an elevation of 7363 metres.
“Kaur has suffered frostbite and was admitted at CIWEC Hospital after being rescued from the peak,” Pasang Sherpa, Chairman at Pioneer Adventure told ANI.

As per the official other climbers Shehroze Kashif, Naila Kiani from Pakistan and Arjun Vajpai from India have been rescued.

Along with the body of Irish Climber Noel Hanna also has been brought to Kathmandu from the Camp IV. The 10-time Everest summiteer from Northern Ireland breathed his last at Camp IV after he returned from the summit point last night.

Apart from the rescue, a team of 5 Sherpa also are conducting a ground search for missing Indian climber Anurag Maloo. He went missing at an altitude of 6000 meters after falling down into a deep crevasse.

(https://kathmandupost.com/national/2023/04/18/renowned-irish-climber-noel-hanna-dies-one-indian-climber-missing-on-mt-annapurna)

Renowned Irish climber, Noel Hanna, died in Camp IV of Annapurna on Monday night. His body was found lying at Camp IV, according to Yubraj Khatiwada, director at the Department of Tourism, The Kathmandu Post reported.

Meanwhile, two Indian climbers who had gone missing since Monday night in Mt Annapurna, the tenth-highest mountain in the world at 8,091 metres, have been rescued by Nepali rescuers. Search for the third missing Indian climber is underway, said Khatiwada.

Record-holding Indian woman climber Baljeet Kaur, who went missing near Camp IV of Annapurna while descending from the summit point, was rescued through a chopper using a longline technique, according to Pioneer Adventure, her expedition agency. Kaur has been brought to Annapurna Base Camp and will be flown to Kathmandu for a medical examination, the agency said in a statement, The Kathmandu Post reported.

According to Khatiwada, Kaur had been missing since Monday in bad weather conditions. Her rescue operation was carried out at 7,363 metres.

Similarly, Arjun Vajpai, the youngest Indian to climb Everest in 2010, is also being rescued from the areas between Camp III and Camp IV of Annapurna. “He has sustained injuries,” said Khatiwada. “Search is on for another missing Indian climber Anurag Maloo from Annapurna.”

Maloo went missing while descending from Camp IV on Monday.

Annapurna recorded the season’s first summit of 8,000 metres on April 15.Three choppers each from Heli Everest, Simrik Air and Kailash Helicopter have been deployed in different areas for rescue operations.

With Hanna’s death, the spring season’s death toll on Everest and Annapurna has reached four. Hanna has climbed Mt Everest 10 times.

Meanwhile, rescuers on Wednesday abandoned the mission to search for three Sherpa guides buried underneath the snow on Everest, The Kathmandu Post reported.

Millions of tonnes of ice mass moved downslope and buried the high-altitude Sherpa guides, in the season’s first accident on the world’s tallest peak.

Imagine Nepal Trek and Expedition, which had mobilised the guides, has declared all three dead, The Kathmandu Post reported.

“With great sadness, we must share the devastating news of the demise of three of our Sherpa brothers, Dawa Tseri Sherpa, Pemba Tenzing Sherpa and Lakpa Rita Sherpa. Our hearts are heavy with grief as we mourn the loss of these brave brothers who dedicated their lives to guiding and supporting climbers. We extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to the families and loved ones,” Imagine Nepal Trek and Expedition said on its Facebook page.