KATHMANDU, APRIL 18
Indian woman climber, who went missing above Camp IV on Mt Annapurna, has been found alive, an expedition organizer said.
An aerial search team has located Baljeet Kaur, who scaled the world's tenth-highest peak without using supplemental oxygen yesterday, above Camp IV, Chairman at Pioneer Adventure Pasang Sherpa, said.
"We are preparing to conduct a long-line rescue to airlift her from above the high camp," he said. Baljeet has been seen descending alone towards Camp IV by the aerial search team, according to Sherpa. The record-holding Indian woman climber, who was left
alone below the summit point, remained out of radio contact till this morning.
An aerial search mission was initiated this morning only after she managed to send a radio signal asking for 'immediate help'. According to Sherpa, her GPS location has indicated an altitude of 7,375m (24,193ft). She climbed Mt Annapurna along with two Sherpa guides at around 5:15 pm yesterday. at least three helicopters were mobilised to trace Baljeet.
Meanwhile, efforts are still underway to recover the body of legendary climber Noel Hanna, 10-time Everest summiteer from Northern Ireland, who breathed his last at Camp IV after he returned from the summit point last night.
Meanwhile, chances of finding Indian climber Anurag Maloo, who went missing after falling from 6,000m into a deep crevasse while descending from Camp IV yesterday, are slim, said base camp officials.
