Australian mountaineer dies while scaling Nepal’s Himlung Himal

An Australian mountaineer, Chin-Tark Chan, 49, died while attempting to climb the 7,126-metre (23,379-foot) Himlung Himal in Nepal. Tourism officials confirmed the death on Sunday.

Chan reportedly fell ill on October 29 during his ascent of the moderately challenging peak, which is located near the Tibetan border. The Tourism Department’s director, Himal Gautam, stated that the climber was found lifeless at an altitude of 6,100 metres.

Rescue efforts to retrieve the body were initially hampered by severe weather conditions in the mountainous region. Gautam confirmed that teams were working to bring the body down from Camp 3 to Camp 2, after which it will be airlifted by helicopter to Kathmandu. The official cause of Chan’s death remains unknown at this time.

Second attempt at the summit

The expedition company coordinating the climb, 8K Expeditions, noted that this was not Chan’s first attempt at Himlung Himal.

Lakpa Sherpa, the company’s managing director, said that the Australian had also attempted the ascent the previous year but was forced to turn back due to health issues.

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The expedition company is currently working with the climber’s family and the Australian embassy to facilitate the repatriation of his body.

The autumn climbing season in the Himalayas, which typically runs until late November, sees hundreds of climbers. Despite being less popular than the spring due to shorter days and colder conditions, Nepal continues to attract mountaineers hoping to conquer its towering peaks, including eight of the world’s ten highest mountains.