On Sunday, it was confirmed that American mountaineer Anna Gutu and her Nepalese guide, Mingmar Sherpa, lost their lives due to avalanches on a Tibetan mountain. Additionally, two others remain missing, as reported by tour companies and Chinese media outlets.
Mount Shishapangma, one of the world’s tallest peaks, reaching an elevation of 26,335 feet above sea level, is situated within Chinese territory.
The incident occurred on Saturday afternoon at an altitude ranging between 7,600 and 8,000 meters, according to China’s state news agency, Xinhua, which cited confirmation from the Tibet Sports Bureau. Mingma David Sherpa from Elite Exped, the organization overseeing the expedition, informed AFP about the death of American mountaineer Anna Gutu, stating, “We have received reports that Anna and her guide were hit by the avalanche yesterday, their bodies have been recovered.”
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He added, “There are other climbers who are missing, and rescue efforts are currently underway.” The rescue operations are complicated by the fact that helicopters cannot be deployed on the mountain due to dangers and Chinese restrictions.
Tashi Sherpa from Seven Summit Treks identified the missing individuals as American climber Gina Marie Rzucidlo and her guide Tenjin “Lama” Sherpa.
He further stated, “Search efforts are underway.” Additionally, the avalanches caused serious injuries to Nepalese mountain guide Karma Geljen Sherpa, who was safely escorted down the mountain by rescuers and is currently in stable condition, as reported by the state-owned Xinhua News Agency.
A total of 52 climbers from various countries, including the United States, Britain, Japan, and Italy, were attempting to reach the summit when the avalanches occurred, according to Xinhua.
As a precautionary measure, all mountaineering activities on Mount Shishapangma have been temporarily suspended.
