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Leading Sherpa Chhewang Nima Missing After Avalanche
BBC NEWS
October 24, 2010, a Nepalese Sherpa called Chhewang Nima famous in mountaineering circles for climbing Mount Everest 19 times has gone missing on another Himalayan peak. An avalanche near the summit of Mount Baruntse struck Chhewang Nima, his climbing agency said. He was fixing ropes at an elevation of 7,045 meters (23,114 feet) while guiding a private expedition trying to reach the 7,129-meter peak.
A helicopter has been sent to the team's base camp but was unable to take off on Sunday because of strong winds. The other climbers searched for Mr Nima after the accident on Saturday but were unable to find him. A helicopter will join the search for him on Monday if high winds die down.
Jiban Ghimire of the Sherpa Shangri-la Treks and Expedition - the firm that organized the expedition - said Mr Nima was on the north slope of the mountain fixing the ropes when he was knocked over and down the northeast slope by the avalanche. No one else was caught in the avalanche, said Mr Ghimire. Mr Ghimire said it was possible that because of Mr Nima's skills and experience he may still be alive. "He's a good climber, he knows how to survive," he told the BBC.
Mr Nima, 43, is a highly experienced climber who has made many ascents in the Himalayas. He is one short of tying the record for the most summits of Everest: 20, held by fellow Nepalese climber Appa Sherpa.
October 25, 2010, Search for missing Nepal Sherpa Chhewang Nima is stopped. Chhewang Nima, famous for climbing Mount Everest 19 times, is presumed dead. Rescuers have called off the search for a leading Nepalese Sherpa who was caught in an avalanche near a Himalayan peak on Saturday. Hopes had faded of finding Chhewang Nima alive. Bad weather hampered the helicopter rescue operation in eastern Nepal.
Jiban Ghimire, director of Sherpa Shangri-La Treks and Mr Nima's employer, told the BBC that the search "has been called off because there is no way to find his body". He said Mr Nima's brother and other climbers had flown to Mt Baruntse on Monday morning to check if they could climb to where Mr Nima has been caught by the avalanche. "But the conditions were still very bad and the helicopter had to return," Mr Ghimire said. "We don't think the conditions will improve for at least a week. His family believes he is dead."
He had been close to tying the record for the most successful climbs of Everest - 20, held by fellow Nepalese climber Appa Sherpa.
