KATHMANDU, Oct 25: A Nepali mountaineer who was just one climb away from equaling the world record for most ascents of Mt Everest has gone missing along the slopes of the 7,129-meter Mt Baruntse in eastern Nepal.
Chhewang Nima Sherpa, 43, went missing after a massive avalanche struck the slopes of the mountain at around 4:30 pm Saturday, said the agency that organized the expedition.
“A search operation could not be initiated on Sunday owing to extremely windy conditions along the mountain´s slopes,” said Jeewan Ghimire of Sherpa Shangri-la Trek and Expeditions. “We hope to be able to conduct an aerial search Monday morning,” Ghimire added. The agency came to know about the tragedy only at 9 pm Saturday.
Chhewang, who climbed Mt Everest twice in spring 2010 pushing his count to 19, was fixing climbing ropes at an altitude of 7,045 meters when the avalanche struck, according to Ghimire.
All other members of the expedition, including six British and one American climber, are safe.
Apa Sherpa, 50, who climbed Mt Everest for the 20th time in May this year, is the only climber to have set his feet on top of the world more times than Chhewang.
But Chhewang was poised to beat Apa owing to an age advantage. He was planning to take the lead in 2011.
According to Tilak Pandey, an official at the Mountaineering Division of the Ministry of Tourism, Chhewang was seeking to climb Mt Everest twice in spring 2011 to overtake Apa.
Pandey also said chances of finding Chhewang alive are slim.
“The aerial search will be focused on recovering his body. It is unlikely that he survived the massive avalanche,” Pandey said.
Born in Thamo village of Solukhumbu district, Chhewang made his first ascent of Everest in May 1994. He climbed the 8,848-meter peak via both the north and south faces. He also climbed several other well-known peaks including Cho Oyu, Shishapangma, Ama Dablam, and Nosing Khan.
Despite his achievements and reputation as among the most experienced alpinists in the world, Chhewang continued to live in Thamo village with his wife and two children, and worked as a professional guide.
This is the second major avalanche on a Nepali peak in less than a month. On September 28, an avalanche that struck the slopes of Mt Dhaulagiri killed three Japanese climbers and their Sherpa guide. Rescuers were able to recover the dead body of only one Japanese climber.
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