Mackay Mayor condoles death of Australian climber

KATHMANDU: Mayor of Mackay Regional Council Greg Williamson condoled the death of an Australian climber who died while descending the world highest peak from Tibetan side on Sunday.

Francesco Enrico Marchetti, 54, from Queensland breathed his last at an altitude of 7,500 m on North Col when he was descending to lower camps after suffering from altitude sicknesses at around 8,000 m on the mountain.

Issuing a statement, Williamson said, “Frank (Francesco) was one of those guys who gave so much to the community in so many areas.”

Saying that Frank had a great career in the Army Reserve with the army cadets and because he was so well connected in his community the Mayor said “His death is going to be very very strongly felt here.”

According to the stamen, Frank was passionate, he was loyal, he was driven and his lifelong goal was to get to the top of Mt Everest and he had many trips to Everest. “He went to base camp a number of times and then to K2.”

In 2015, he made his first attempt on the summit but the avalanche hit and he had to abandon that attempt, stated in the statement. “He always said he was going to go back, it costs an enormous amount of money so he saved up every penny [to go back] and his family and friends were always right behind him.”

Williamson also said that he has known Frank for over thirty years and he is amongst the most principled, honest, driven men he has ever met. “The last thing I remember him saying to me about this attempt to the summit was that he might come back without a fingers and toes but he’s going to give it the best shot.”

So, our thoughts as a whole community are with Sandy and the family and for Frank, the statement read, adding that, he died doing the thing that he had his whole heart set on his life goal of getting to the top of Mt Everest.