Kathmandu, May 22:

Nepali and international mountaineers are making efforts to rescue a Spanish climber from the base camp of Mt Annapurna I. The climber is said to be in a critical condition.

“We are making arrangements to rescue Inaki Ocho, who has been reportedly stranded at an altitude of 7400 m,” Nima Nuru Sherpa, managing director of the Cho-Yu Trekking Pvt Ltd, said.

Sherpa said a person named Nancy had contacted him from the base camp and asked for rescue efforts, adding that details of the climber, his group and handling agencies were unknown.

He said the climber was suffering from high-altitude sickness, frostbite and chest infection.

“A helicopter has landed near the point where the climber has been stranded. The climbers will rescue the climber and fly him to the capital.”

Three of the climbers left Kathmandu yesterday, but they have not been able to reach the base camp due to inclement weather conditions, he said. They are waiting for the weather to improve, Sherpa said. Though the government collects a huge sum of money from mountaineers while issuing climbing permits, it has not bothered to form a rescue team, he said. Sherpa said, “Every rescue effort has been conducted at the personal level.”