Kerala mountaineer stranded on Mount Denali in North America, sends SOS
Sheikh Hasan Khan, a 38-year-old mountaineer from Kerala on a mission to scale the highest peaks of all seven continents, has sent an SOS message after being trapped in severe snowstorm on Mount Denali, the tallest peak in North America.
Mr. Khan, who has embarked on the expedition with a fellow climber from Tamil Nadu, planned to hoist the national flag as a tribute to the Indian Army's Operation Sindoor. However, extreme weather conditions, including heavy winds, stalled their progress and left them stranded at Camp 5, nearly 17,000 ft above sea level.
A message from Mr. Khan, shared widely on social media, reads: 'I am on an expedition to Mount Denali, the highest peak in North America. We are stuck in a severe storm at 17,000 ft with less food and water to survive. Only God can help us now. Please ask all to pray.'
EAM's intervention sought
Sharing the message on his X account, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, State president of the Bhartiya Janata Party, said he had alerted External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar and his team, while also tagging the Indian Embassy in Washington DC and the Prime Minister's Office.
Mr. Khan, employed at the Finance department of the Kerala government, is an accomplished mountaineer who has previously climbed Mount Everest and Mount Kilimanjaro. He had already conquered Mount Denali in June 2023. He has only Australia's Mount Kosciuszko left to complete the Seven Summits challenge. Mr. Khan is on a five-year leave from work to pursue his dream.
Pathanamthitta MP Anto Antony has written to the External Affairs Minister seeking immediate intervention. 'Mr. Shaikh Hasan Khan is reportedly trapped on Mount Denali due to a severe storm. He was on a mission to hoist a banner honouring the Indian Army when he became stranded. He has since sent urgent messages requesting rescue and assistance due to shortage of water and food,' the MP's letter stated.
Kerala Deputy Speaker Chittayam Gopakumar has brought the issue to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's notice.
Back home at Poozhikkad near Pandalam, Mr. Khan's parents, M.A. Ali Ahmed Khan and J. Shahida, wait anxiously for news. His last communication with the family was on June 10, when he informed them about the expedition.
'He called us on June 10 and told us about his mission. We haven't heard from him since. We are praying for his safety,' his mother told the media.
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