‘Climber too weak for journey down'
The missing Malaysian trekker up Mount Everest was believed to have been weak and slow in keeping up with the team.
Thus, the Nepali Sherpas had advised anaesthesiologist Dr Wui Kin Chin to remain at one of the points on Annapurna, so that he can regain strength and wait for help.
Seasoned mountain climber Ravichandran Tharumalingam aka ‘Ravi Everest’ told The New Straits Times that he had obtained this information from officials in Kathmandu, Nepal.
“I had a chat with one of the company owners, Tashi Sherpa, of Seven Summit Trek who were providing services to the victim,” Ravichandran said, adding that it appeared one of the accompanying Sherpas left Wui at a spot as he was weak and was taking too long to move down.
“We all hope that he will be found soon and pray for his return,” said Ravichandran, the Global Expedition Club Malaysia president.
Wui, 49, an experienced climber had gone missing while descending the 8,091m summit on Tuesday.
He was part of a team of 13 climbers, guided by Frenchman Barobian Michel Christian, and had completed the “Seven Summits” by climbing Everest last spring.
Social media reported that Seven Summit Treks chairman Mingma Sherpa had said that Wui was one of 32 climbers to stand on the summit that day, reaching the top at 4.10pm Nepali time. Mingma complained that insurance bureaucracy had delayed the search for him by helicopter.
Wui’s last social media post on Sunday told his followers that he had reached Camp 3, following a nine-and-a-half-hour climb, but heavy snow had set in.
He is reportedly married to Thanaporn Lorchirachoonkul and the couple run Chin Anaesthetic Consultant Pte Ltd in Singapore.
Ravichandran was puzzled as to how Wui had gone missing since he was part of a team.
“It should not have happened, especially if a Sherpa was with him. They should not have left him behind, in the first place,” said Ravichandran, who had scaled Mount Everest in 2006 and reached South Col in 2007. He eventually lost eight fingers to frostbite.
Another seasoned climber, Mohd Fakhrul Munir Mohd Isa, 37, advised victims not to panic when lost.
“Try to seek help when possible. Make sure of your location and keep close to the designated track. Ration but consume sufficient food and beverage for survival,” said Fakhrul, the Summit Attack Resources director and a certified travel and adventure guide. He also advised victims to make visible coloured ‘SOS’ markings to be traced from afar.
Annapurna is reportedly prone to avalanches, with nine South Koreans killed last October after a snowstorm swept them off a cliff on the western Mount Gurja.