An avalanche on Mount Shishapangma (southwest China), one of the highest in the world, left at least two dead, two American and Nepalese climbers, and two missing, organizers told AFP on Sunday .
This Himalayan mountain rises to 8,027 meters above sea level and is located in Tibet.
The avalanche occurred on Saturday “at an altitude between 7,600 and 8,000 meters,” said the official Xinhua news agency, citing the Tibet Sports Bureau.
“The avalanche killed an American climber and a Nepalese climber, an American climber and a Nepalese climber are missing, and a Nepalese climber was seriously injured,” according to the agency, which does not specify the identity and gender the victims.
According to expedition organizers, American mountaineer Anna Gutu has died and her compatriot Gina Marie is missing.
They were engaged in a race to become the first American woman to climb all 14 peaks over 8,000 meters above sea level, according to the Nepalese newspaper The Himalayan Times.
“We received information that Anna and her guide were hit by the avalanche yesterday and their bodies were found,” Mingma David Sherpa, director of the Nepalese agency, told AFP Elite Expedwho organized the American mountaineer’s expedition.
“Other climbers are also missing,” he said.
Gina Marie’s fate is uncertain.
“The American climber (Gina Marie Rzucidlo) and our guide (Tenjin) are missing. Research is ongoing,” Tashi Sherpa, director of the Nepalese company, told AFP. Seven Summit Trekswhich organizes ascents of high peaks.
The Nepalese guide Tenjin “Lama” Sherpa, mentioned by the company, became in July with the Norwegian Kristin Harila the mountaineer who had climbed the 14 world summits over 8,000 meters the fastest.