Corona lost contact with the base camp officials above 7,000m
KATHMANDU, APRIL 29
An Italian alpinist who climbed Mt Annapurna in an alpine style on Thursday has gone out of contact near Camp IV, sources said.
Giampaolo Corona lost contact with the base camp officials above 7,000 m while he was returning from the summit point yesterday afternoon, according to sources at the base camp.
The Italian alpinist had only used base camp services offered by Seven Summit Treks as he scaled the mountain without using supplemental oxygen and Sherpa support, sources added.
Fellow climbers who were descending the mountain noticed that Corona lost his contact at around 7,600m.
Efforts are underway to launch a search mission from the base camp, sources said, adding that high altitude rescue pilot Simone Moro from Italy has also been asked to support the search mission.
At least six women climbers along with other foreigners and Nepali climbers scaled the world's 10th highest peak yesterday.
Corona, a resident of Trentino (Dolomites, Italy) is a mountain guide, helicopter rescue technician and mountaineer. He completed 15 expeditions outside Europe, climbing nine 8000 m peaks in Nepal, Pakistan and India.
Details to follow.
