New Delhi (India), April 19, 2023: Renowned Indian climber Baljeet Kaur, who successfully scaled Mount Annapurna, the world’s tenth highest peak, without supplemental oxygen, has been rescued after she went missing while descending from the summit point.
Aerial search teams located the 27-year-old climber above Camp IV at an altitude of 7,363 m. Baljeet Kaur, who was seen descending alone towards Camp IV, suffered from frostbite and was immediately rushed to the CIWEC Hospital from Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu.
The leading Indian woman climber remained out of radio contact until this morning, after which she sent a radio signal asking for immediate help. An aerial search mission was initiated, and her GPS location was traced, indicating an altitude of 7,375 m.
Baljeet Kaur climbed Mt. Annapurna along with two Sherpa guides at around 5:15 p.m. on Monday. At least three helicopters were mobilized for her rescue.
Baljeet Kaur had earlier scaled four 8000-meter peaks in a single season, becoming the first Indian climber to do so. However, tragedy struck as Noel Hanna, the first person from Ireland to reach the summit of K2 during the winter season, died at Camp IV the same night.
Indian climber Arjun Vajpai, along with Pakistani climbers Shehroze Kashif and Naila Kiani, were also evacuated from Camp IV after falling ill while descending from the summit point.
Meanwhile, Anurag Malu, a resident of Kishangarh in Rajasthan, went missing while descending from Camp III of Mt. Annapurna, and a team of five Sherpa climbers has been conducting a ground search for him.
Mount Annapurna is well-known for the difficulty and danger involved in its ascent, with many mountaineers losing their lives while attempting to summit the peak.
