An ace mountaineer with over 1,500 ascents who survived being trapped by avalanches in Pakistan is missing in northern Nepal since he fell during a solo climbing expedition.
Slovenian daredevil Tomaz Humar, who was plucked from the jaws of death by a miraculous helicopter rescue from Pakistan’s Nanga Parbat in 2005, is missing since Monday when he fell while climbing Mt Langtang Lirung, a 7,227m peak in the Himalayas in northern Nepal.
The 41-year-old, who was climbing alone without Sherpa guides or porters, fell Monday evening from about a height of 6,200m, said Asian Trekking, the Kathmandu agency handling his logistics.
“Our base camp staffer received a call from Tomaz,” an Asia Trekking official told IANS.
“I have broken my back and leg, he said. I am afraid it will be difficult for a helicopter to locate me.
“My pulse is weak and I think I am going to die.
“This is my last...”
And then the satellite phone Tomaz was using was switched off, the agency said.
A rescue team began looking for him Tuesday but as Tomaz had warned, he could not be detected.
Then Sherpa climbers began to search for him. However, the search had to be called off as the weather deteriorated and a snow storm started.
Meanwhile, Nepal’s tourism ministry said Air Zermatt, an experienced Swiss mountain rescue operator, was arriving in Kathmandu Friday to join the search.
However, the new search could start only Saturday, officials said.
Tomaz had started out from Kathmandu Oct 5.
In 2005, he was trapped for four days at nearly 6,000m due to avalanches and was rescued by Pakistan army helicopters.
