Anna Gutu, an American mountaineer, and Mingmar Sherpa, a Nepalese guide, were tragically declared deceased on Sunday following avalanches on a Tibetan mountain. Two other climbers are still missing, as confirmed by tour companies and Chinese media reports.
Mount Shishapangma, a towering peak with an elevation of 26,335 feet above sea level, lies entirely within Chinese territory and is one of the highest mountains in the world.
The accident occurred on Saturday afternoon at an altitude of 7,600 to 8,000 meters, according to China’s state news agency Xinhua. The Tibet Sports Bureau, which verified the toll, cited this information.
Anna Gutu, an American mountaineer, was among those caught in the avalanche and tragically lost her life, according to Mingma David Sherpa of Elite Exped, the expedition’s organizing company, as reported by AFP.
“We have received reports that Anna and her guide were hit by the avalanche yesterday, and their bodies have been recovered,” he stated. He also mentioned that there are other climbers still missing, and rescue operations are currently underway.
Rescue efforts are further complicated by the fact that helicopters are not permitted to be used on the mountain due to Chinese restrictions, he added.
Tashi Sherpa of Seven Summit Treks identified the missing climbers as Gina Marie Rzucidlo, an American, and her guide Tenjin “Lama” Sherpa.
“Two avalanches struck the mountain yesterday, affecting several climbers. Some were injured, and Gina Marie Rzucidlo and our guide Tenjin are currently missing. The search is ongoing,” Tashi Sherpa stated.
Nepalese mountain guide Karma Geljen Sherpa was seriously injured in the avalanches but was successfully escorted down the mountain by rescuers. He is currently in stable condition, according to state-owned Xinhua News Agency.
Xinhua reported that a total of 52 climbers from various countries, including the U.S., Britain, Japan, and Italy, were attempting to summit Mount Shishapangma when the avalanches struck. All mountaineering activities have been suspended on the mountain, as stated by Xinhua.
Tenjin, together with Kristin Harila from Norway, gained recognition within the mountaineering community for setting the record for the fastest summit of all 14 of the world’s 26,000-foot mountains. They completed this feat in 92 days, reaching the peak of Pakistan’s K2 in July.
In a statement posted on Harila’s Instagram, it was revealed that she is heading to Nepal to assist in any way she can. The statement also expressed thoughts and prayers for Tenjin and his family.
The two women, Anna Gutu and Gina Marie Rzucidlo, were engaged in a race to become the first American woman to summit all 14 peaks, according to The Himalayan Times, a Nepali newspaper.
Anna Gutu had been documenting her mountaineering achievements on Instagram. In her recent posts, she announced her successful summit of Dhaulagiri and shared a dramatic video of her reaching the peak of Manaslu.
Lastly, she wrote about her summit of Mount Kanchenjunga in a June Instagram post, stating that she was getting closer to her big dream.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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