Manang: Rescuers have recovered the bodies of two Japanese climbers who had been missing since October 15 on Gangapurna in northwest Nepal, an official said on Friday. Kumar Chhetri of Cosmo Adventure, the company that provided local logistics to the climbers, said the bodies were recovered from Gangapurna West and arrangements were being made to send them to a hospital in Kathmandu for postmortem, Reuters reported.
Source: Reuters
The climbers were Hidesuke Taneishi and Tetsu Hashimoto. They began their ascent on October 10 in a self-supported alpine-style attempt and went missing on October 15 after contact was lost at around 7,050 metres; their Nepali guide informed the company on October 16, Everest Chronicle and The Tourism Times reported.
Source: Everest Chronicle
"As planned, we began searching from the southern side and located the bodies at 6,210 metres," Pasang Rinzee Sherpa, an IFMGA-certified mountain guide on the three-member search team, told Everest Chronicle. The team — Altitude Air senior pilot Sobit Gauchan, guide Sherpa and drone pilot Manish Maharjan — had searched the slopes for four days, combining helicopter flights with drone surveys after aerial searches began on October 19. The bodies were airlifted to Kathmandu and will be handed over to the families after the required procedures, Everest Chronicle reported.
Source: Everest Chronicle
What is solid
- Two Japanese climbers, Hidesuke Taneishi and Tetsu Hashimoto, went missing on Gangapurna in Manang district on October 15 after contact was lost at around 7,050 metres (Everest Chronicle; The Tourism Times; Reuters).
- Their bodies were recovered on Friday, October 23, located at about 6,200 metres on the mountain's southern side, and were being taken to Kathmandu (Reuters; Everest Chronicle; The Tourism Times).
- A three-member team using helicopters and drones had searched since October 19 and had earlier found the climbers' bag and trekking poles (Everest Chronicle; The Tourism Times).
What is only claimed
- Rescuers said the climbers appeared to have fallen around 900 metres and that earlier traces suggested a possible slab avalanche — this is the rescue team's assessment, not an official finding; the cause has not been established.
- Reports differ on the peak's stated height and on whether the attempt was on Gangapurna or its western sub-peak, Gangapurna West.
Awaaz Punjab reported on October 22 that the two climbers were missing and that a helicopter search was under way. That search has now ended with the recovery of their bodies. Read the earlier report: Two climbers missing on Gangapurna
Awaaz Punjab expresses its condolences to the climbers' families. This story will be updated if officials release further findings on how the accident happened.