“This was a one-in-a-million rescue effort.” –Mingma Sherpa
Indian mountain climber Anurag Maloo has been successfully rescued 3 days after falling into 1,000 feet down a crevasse on Nepal’s Annapurna, the world’s 10th-highest mountain.
BBC reports 34-year-old Maloo went missing Monday after when he fell down the deep crevasse near Camp Three at around 19,600ft elevation. He was rescued Thursday thanks to the heroic efforts of Polish climber Adam Bielecki and several sherpas.
His survival while spending 3 days in the frozen depths of the crevasse is credited to relatively the protected subterranean conditions of the crevasse compared to the harshness above:
“A crevasse is warmer and well protected from wind. So if he was not badly injured, it’s not unusual that he survived in a crevasse.” –Amit Chowdhury, International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA)
Severe weather prohibited transport to Kathmandu so Maloo was airlifted to Pokhara’s Manipal Hospital where he is alive but in critical condition.
This is truly a miracle and we salute those brave rescuers who didn’t give up hope and made the extraction. We will be sure to update this story as more details become available.
We commend Adam Bielecki @AdamTheClimber for his unwavering courage and professionalism in the face of danger. Thank you for your incredible bravery and expertise in rescuing Anurag Maloo from the crevasse on Annapurna I (8091 m). Your help in rescuing Anurag Maloo from the… pic.twitter.com/bHrJj0Gq52
— Everest Today (@EverestToday) April 20, 2023