Adventure or worst nightmare? Two Indian mountaineers breath last at Mt Kanchenjunga

Kathmandu, May 20: Greatest of the adventures, covering the tallest peak is one of the most exuberating journeys for a mountaineer. But unfortunately, at times, this adventure turns out to be the worst nightmare. Bodies of two Indian mountaineers were recovered and flown to Kathmandu who died in Nepal during an expedition to the world’s third tallest peak, Mount Kanchenjunga.

 

The two Indians, Biplab Baidya (48) and Kuntal Karar (46) breathe their last on Wednesday night. The reason for their death was due to high altitude sickness near the summit of Mount Kanchenjunga. They died above their Camp IV after they were unable to continue their descent from near the 8,586-metre peak due to hypothermia and snow-blindness.

The bodies of Baidya and Kanrar were first carried by rescuers from the mountain's highest camp to near the base camp and then flown to Kathmandu in a helicopter. The bodies were kept at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital at Maharajgunj in the outskirts of Kathmandu for autopsy, said a staff member of Peak Promotion, which conducted the expedition.

According to officials, Biplab made it successfully to the summit point, while Kuntal fell sick on his way and could not make it to the top. The duo, who were part of a five-member team of climbers from West Bengal, died while climbing down from the peak.

Mount Kanchenjunga is the third highest mountain in the world. It rises in a section of the Himalayas called Kanchenjunga Himal delimited in the west by the Tamur River, in the north by the Lhonak Chu and Jongsang La, and in the east by the Teesta River.