Dubai-based Pakistani Naila Kiani survives Tibet avalanche as US climber, local guide killed

Tariq Butt, Correspondent / Agencies

Pakistani climbers Naila Kiani and Sirbaz Khan have survived an avalanche near the summit of Tibet’s Shishapangma peak (8,027 metres), but an American mountaineer and her Nepalese guide were killed, with two still missing and one seriously injured.

A total of 52 climbers from various countries including the Pakistan, US, Britain, Japan, and Italy were attempting to summit the mountain when the avalanches hit, Xinhua said. Climbing activities have since been suspended due to snow conditions.

Mount Shishapangma, one of the highest mountains in the world, peaks at 8,027m above sea level and is entirely located within Chinese territory.

Sirbaz Khan and Dubai-based Pakistani Naila Kiani were part of the Imagine Nepal expedition team, commencing their summit attempt on Friday evening. Saad Munawar, the expedition manager of Sirbaz Khan, confirmed their safe return to Camp 1.

According to Nepalese media, the avalanche struck the climbing route above 7,800m as climbers attempted to reach the summit point early on Saturday at around 7am Pakistan time.

American climber Anna Gutu and her Nepalese guide, Mingmar Sherpa, lost their lives in the avalanche, while another American climber Gina Marie and her guide, Tenjen (Lama) Sherpa from Nepal, are missing, it added. Rescuers have recovered bodies of the two climbers, while a search for the missing ones is ongoing.

Munawar said he had communicated with Sirbaz Khan via satellite phone, confirming their safe return to Camp 1 after abandoning their mission.

On Oct.2, Kiani and Sirbaz Khan became the first Pakistani duo to summit Cho Oyu (8,201m) in Tibet, the world’s sixth-highest peak.

Kiani is the first Pakistani woman climber to summit 10 peaks above 8,000m and the only Pakistani to ascend seven peaks above 8,000m in six months. Sirbaz Khan is the only Pakistani to summit 13 peaks above 8,000m, and the only one to conquer 10 mountains above 8,000m without the use of supplementary oxygen. Karrar Haidri, Secretary of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, said that both Pakistani climbers had safely reached Camp 1.

Kiani’s official page on social media said, "We share with great sadness that 2 avalanches have caused the death of 4 climbers close to the summit of Shishapangma, leading to the aborted mission of Naila and Sirbaz… They are now both back at camp 1, very shaken and distressed after witnessing the avalanche take the lives of their very own friends @ginamarierzucidlo and @anyatraveler. The other climbers were Sherpas Mingma and Lama, both sources of inspiration in the mountaineering community. We share our deepest heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of these climbers.”