Kathmandu, April 21: Indian climber Anurag Maloo, who went missing on Monday after falling into a deep crevasse on Nepal’s Mount Annapurna, has been found alive in critical condition by rescuers, his brother and organisers said on Thursday.
Anurag, 34, a resident of Kishangarh in Rajasthan went missing on Monday after he fell from around 6,000 metres while descending from Camp III. Mount Annapurna is the 10th highest mountain.
A team of rescuers located the Indian climber in a deep crevasse between Camp III and Camp II of the world’s tenth highest peak, said Thaneshwor Guragain, information officer at Seven Summit Treks – the organizer of the expedition.
He has been airlifted to Kathmandu and admitted to Medicity Hospital at Bhaisepati area of Lalitpur district, Guragain said. Anurag is still unconscious and his condition is very critical, Guragain told PTI over phone.
“He is found alive. He has been taken to the hospital. He is in a very critical condition but he is alive,” Sudhir Maloo, his brother said. The rescue team that went looking for him in the crevasse he had fallen has found and rescued him, according to Sudhir.
A helicopter and a team of six Sherpa climbers led by Chhang Dawa Sherpa had been mobilized for the search and Anurag was found in a deep crevasse at some 5,800 meters altitude on Thursday morning. He was first taken to the Manipal Hospital in Pokhara and then flown to Kathmandu for further treatment.
Following this incident, the organisers of the expedition are reviewing the Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) for mountaineers and climbers. “In this incident also, we will find out if there is any deviation or violation of the SoPs by the climbers. This is necessary to see that such incidents should not be repeated,” an official of the Seven Summit Treks said.
Before the commencement of the climb, the organisers make sure that the participants are physically fit and are capable of withstanding the trechereous terrain. The SoPs are briefed to the climbers and the rescue team will accompany them for a while, as per the procedure.
EOM.
