Remains of "Swiss Machine" airlifted from Mt Everest
KATHMANDU: The mortal remains of legendary climber Ueli Steck, who perished on Mt Everest earlier on Sunday morning, were airlifted to Lukla from the Camp II and are being brought to Kathmandu for postmortem this afternoon.
Mingma Sherpa, the managing director of Seven Summits Trek, said Steck's body would be taken to the Maharajganj-Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital for postmortem.
Popularly known was Swiss Machine, the 41-year-old Swiss alpinist was climbing Mt Nuptse solo when he slipped and fell some 1,000 metres down the mountain, severing his body into bits and pieces on the treacherous terrain, according to other mountaineers.
A Fishtail Air helicopter was sent to Camp II to airlift the body parts to Lukla.
It was first death of the season on the Mt Everest.
According to sources, his wife, who is currently in Switzerland, has already been informed about the tragedy.
According to Nepal’s Department of Tourism, Steck had obtained climbing permits for the expedition of Mt Lhotse and Mt Nuptse besides Mt Everest.
Seven Summits Trek had been managing his expedition to Mt Nuptse while Royal Orchid Treks and Expedition would look after the Mt Everest and Mt Lhostse expeditions.
Meanwhile, news of Steck's death has shocked the mountaineering followers across the globe.
Sad news of Ueli Steck's death in #Everest #Nepal
The #Swiss climber/mountaineer was a legend in his own right.https://t.co/TQ5lv1G378
— bibek (@tistung) April 30, 2017
South African mountaineer Ronnie Muhl wrote a post on Facebook, recalling meeting Steck in the Everest base camp 15 days ago. "...We were at a "rope fixing" meeting together and he was telling me and a few others about his preparation for his upcoming climb of the Hornbein Couloir to the summit of Everest and then the descent to the South Col, before his traverse ascent of Lhotse," he said.
"I stood mesmerized listening to his preparation, articulated in a humble and heartfelt way. What an icon...what an incredible loss. My thoughts are with your family and close friends."
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