Nimsdai Purja and his team from Elite Exped have successfully retrieved the bodies of two climbers, Anna Gutu and Mingmar Sherpa, from Shishapangma in Tibet, China.
Their mortal remains had been languishing on the mountain since their death in an avalanche on October 2023.
Purja shared the news of the successful mission on social media site X on Saturday: “After seven months, our beloved Anna Gutu and Mingmar Sherpa have been reunited with their families. Earlier this week, we were able to climb Shishapangma, bring them down the mountain, cross the border, and transport them to Kathmandu.”
Purja, who recently achieved his 45th summit of an 8000-meter peak, the highest by anyone in history, described the mission as one of the most challenging he has ever undertaken. He also stated that he does not charge fees for rescue operations.
“This is important to mention in case any newspapers or other guiding companies try to manipulate the situation,” he wrote.
According to Purja, the rescue operation, which lasted three days and nights, faced numerous obstacles, including team members falling ill and the need for oxygen at high altitudes. Despite these setbacks, Purja expressed pride in the mission’s successful completion.
Purja’s team was the only one allowed to climb Shishapangma, having been granted special permission to carry out the rescue due to their knowledge of the precise location.
Earlier this week, Kristin Harila announced the cancellation of a mission to retrieve the body of Tenjen Lama Sherpa, who also died in an avalanche in 2023. The permit issue was cited as the reason for the cancellation.
