Second Indian climber missing in deadly harsh conditions on Nepal’s Mt Annapurna

Kaur scaled the world’s tenth highest peak without using supplemental oxygen

The mountain climber has scaled several high peaks in her career (Instagram/Baljeet Kaur)

Indian mountain climber Baljeet Kaur, who had been declared missing this week while scaling the world’s tenth highest peak in Nepal, has been found alive, according to officials.

The news of her miraculous rescue comes after she was rumoured to have died and one climber was found dead in the hazardous conditions of the Mt Annapurna.

Ms Kaur, 27, had gone out of radio contact above Camp IV on the mountain and was declared missing on Monday, leading to rumours that she had died.

However, she sent a radio transmission asking for “urgent help” on Tuesday morning, which prompted the beginning of an aerial search operation.

Ms Kaur, who had scaled the mountain without using supplemental oxygen, was found alive and rescued from 7,363m after an aerial search team located her above Camp IV, Pasang Sherpa, chair at Pioneer Adventure, told the Himalayan Times newspaper.

“She has suffered from frostbite and is now being rushed to CIWEC Hospital from Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu,” Mr Sherpa said.

She disappeared while descending from the peak, but the search crew was able to find her close to the Annapurna I camp. 

Meanwhile, another climber named Noel Hanna from Northern Ireland died on the mountain on Monday.

Another Indian climber named Anurag Malu was declared missing on Monday while he was descending from Camp III of Mt Annapurna.

The search for other missing climbers continues, and officials said they are working to ensure the safety of all those on the mountain.

Hours before she lost contact with authorities, Ms Kaur, who hails from northern India’s Gurgaon city, shared a photo of herself on social media.

“Climbing a mountain is a beautiful metaphor for life itself,” she wrote in the caption. “You decide on an objective, get ready, ascend, and take in the scenery.

On 9 April, she also uploaded a photo taken at Camp 2 above Mount Annapurna I. 

In May last year, Ms Kaur scaled Mt Lhotse and became the first Indian climber to have climbed four 8000-metre peaks in a single season.

The news of Ms Kaur being found alive is a remarkable turn of events for her family, friends, and fellow climbers who were fearing the worst after her disappearance.

Annapurna stands at 8,091m above sea level. The dangerous conditions of the mountain make scaling it a risky endeavour.