American and Nepalese climbers killed or missing after avalanches strike Tibetan peak
- Chinese authorities confirm that American mountaineer Anna Gutu and her guide Mingmar Sherpa were killed on Shishapangma
- Gina Marie Rzucidlo and Tenjen ‘Lama’ Sherpa are missing after two separate avalanches struck the mountain
China named two American mountaineers and their Nepalese guides who are feared dead after an avalanche in Tibet on Saturday.
The local authorities confirmed that the American climber Anna Gutu and her Nepalese mountain guide Mingmar Sherpa had been killed on Shishapangma.
Two other climbers, Gina Marie Rzucidlo from the United States and Tenjen “Lama” Sherpa, were missing, Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported.
Another Nepalese mountain guide, Karma Geljen Sherpa, was seriously injured, but state broadcaster CCTV said his condition was not life-threatening and he was being taken down the mountain by rescuers.
Nepalese media outlet The Himalayan Times also reported that two other sherpas had been injured after two avalanches hit the mountain at 7,600 metres and 8,000 metres (26,250ft) respectively.
Quoting a mountaineering liaison officer, Xinhua reported that a total of 52 climbers from countries including Albania, Britain, Italy, Japan, Pakistan, Romania and the US had been trying to reach the summit when the avalanches struck.