Latest news with #Lhotse
BBC News
5 days ago
- Climate
- BBC News
Himalaya base jump record attempt cut short by severe storm
A man planning to use a wingsuit to break the world record for the world's highest-ever base jump has been thwarted by a severe Howell, from Martock in Somerset, planned to jump and fly down from 8,300 metres (27,230ft) on Lhotse, a neighbouring peak to Mount Everest in the Himalayas. However, after reaching the peak, a storm set in and Mr Howell and his support team were forced to walk back down the said: "The end result was disappointing, we didn't get the jump. We were waiting on this tiny little ledge for about three hours in pretty stormy conditions until it wasn't feasible to wait any longer." Mr Howell had attempted the challenge in 2024, but it was cut short due to bad said the weather for the most recent attempt on Lhotse, the fourth-highest mountain in the world, "wasn't like anything I've experienced before".Visibility was so bad, he said, that the team had to resort to basic methods to judge the conditions and distance."We throw a rock off and count how many seconds it takes to impact [at the bottom of the slope] and from there we have a general idea how big [the drop] it is. Base jumping is an extreme sport that involves jumping from fixed objects, using a parachute or is an acronym that stands for Buildings, Antennas, Spans (such as bridges) and Earth (such as cliffs) - the four recognised categories of objects people can jump from. Mr Howell said the year had been a "pretty bad season" for forecasting weather accurately, with lots of storms."We were unfortunate but we did our best to pull it off," Mr Howell added."You have to look at the forecast four or five days in advance because that's how long it takes you to get from the base camp to the exit point and things change, so it's a lot harder to organise the logistics."Third time is the charm."The current record for the highest base jump was set by the late Valery Rozov, who jumped 7,700m (25,300ft) from Cho Oyu, also in the Himalayas, in later died in a base jumping accident in 2017.
Business Recorder
24-05-2025
- Business Recorder
Naila Kiani summits Kanchenjunga
LAHORE: Pakistani mountaineer, Naila Kiani, has successfully summited Kanchenjunga (8,586m)—the world's third highest mountain, becoming the first Pakistani woman to conquer this formidable peak. With this milestone, Naila now stands among an elite group of global mountaineers, having scaled 12 out of the world's 14 highest peaks above 8,000 meters, continuing her unprecedented journey of defying limits. With just two summits remaining, she is edging closer to becoming one of only 17 women in the world to have conquered all 14 of the planet's 8,000-meter giants. Naila is not only a climber but a change-maker. She has led environmental campaigns, such as a high-altitude cleanup at K2, and a recovery mission for Pakistani porter Muhammad Hassan Shigri, bringing closure to his grieving family. As a mother of two, a former banker, and a passionate advocate for sustainable climbing, Naila Kiani defies traditional molds and inspires a new generation of Pakistanis, especially young women, to dream beyond the boundaries placed before them. Naila Kiani's rise in the mountaineering world is as inspiring as it is unprecedented. From her first successful summit of Gasherbrum II—achieved while balancing a demanding career in finance and the responsibilities of motherhood—to conquering giants such as Everest, K2, Lhotse, Annapurna I, and Makalu, she has consistently defied the odds and broken barriers. In just under three years, she became the first Pakistani woman to summit 11 of the world's highest peaks above 8,000 meters. These include K2 (8,611m), known as the savage mountain and Pakistan's tallest peak; Everest (8,848m), the highest peak in the world; Lhotse (8,516m); Makalu (8,485m); Annapurna I (8,091m); as well as Broad Peak, Manaslu, Dhaulagiri, Gasherbrum I and II, and Nanga Parbat. In 2023 alone, she achieved the extraordinary feat of summiting seven 8,000-meter peaks within just six months, placing her in the company of only a handful of climbers worldwide to have accomplished such a milestone in a single climbing season. Behind Naila's extraordinary pursuit of the world's highest peaks stands a consistent force—the BARD Foundation. Their continued support is not just a partnership, but a commitment to seeing her through to the summit and beyond. Mehreen Dawood, Member – Board of Governors, shared, 'Naila represents the very spirit we aim to nurture at BARD: resilience, courage, and the unwavering pursuit of excellence. Her summits are not just personal victories—they are milestones for all Pakistani women. We are proud to support her journey and amplify the impact she continues to make globally.' Abdul Razak Dawood, President – BARD Foundation said, 'What Naila has achieved is historic. Her drive, integrity, and purpose embody the values of the BARD Foundation. We believe in backing talent that breaks barriers, and Naila is the perfect example of what can be accomplished when ambition meets opportunity.' Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
23-05-2025
- Express Tribune
12 down, 2 to go: Naila Kiani summits Kanchenjunga
Listen to article Pakistan's pride and mountaineering icon, Naila Kiani, has successfully summited Kanchenjunga (8,586m)—the world's third highest mountain, becoming the first Pakistani woman to conquer this formidable peak. With this milestone, Naila now stands among an elite group of global mountaineers, having scaled 12 out of the world's 14 highest peaks above 8,000 meters, continuing her unprecedented journey of defying limits. With just two summits remaining, she is edging closer to becoming one of only 17 women in the world to have conquered all 14 of the planet's 8,000-meter giants. Naila is not only a climber but a change-maker. She has led environmental campaigns, such as a high-altitude cleanup at K2, and a recovery mission for Pakistani porter Muhammad Hassan Shigri, bringing closure to his grieving family. As a mother of two, a former banker, and a passionate advocate for sustainable climbing, Naila Kiani defies traditional molds and inspires a new generation of Pakistanis, especially young women, to dream beyond the boundaries placed before them. Naila Kiani's rise in the mountaineering world is as inspiring as it is unprecedented. From her first successful summit of Gasherbrum II—achieved while balancing a demanding career in finance and the responsibilities of motherhood—to conquering giants such as Everest, K2, Lhotse, Annapurna I, and Makalu, she has consistently defied the odds and broken barriers. In just under three years, she became the first Pakistani woman to summit 11 of the world's highest peaks above 8,000 meters. These include K2 (8,611m), known as the savage mountain and Pakistan's tallest peak; Everest (8,848m), the highest peak in the world; Lhotse (8,516m); Makalu (8,485m); Annapurna I (8,091m); as well as Broad Peak, Manaslu, Dhaulagiri, Gasherbrum I and II, and Nanga Parbat. In 2023 alone, she achieved the extraordinary feat of summiting seven 8,000-meter peaks within just six months, placing her in the company of only a handful of climbers worldwide to have accomplished such a milestone in a single climbing season. Behind Naila's extraordinary pursuit of the world's highest peaks stands a consistent force—the BARD Foundation. Their continued support is not just a partnership, but a commitment to seeing her through to the summit and beyond. Mehreen Dawood, Member – Board of Governors, shared: 'Naila represents the very spirit we aim to nurture at BARD: resilience, courage, and the unwavering pursuit of excellence. Her summits are not just personal victories—they are milestones for all Pakistani women. We are proud to support her journey and amplify the impact she continues to make globally.' Abdul Razak Dawood, President – BARD Foundation said: 'What Naila has achieved is historic. Her drive, integrity, and purpose embody the values of the BARD Foundation. We believe in backing talent that breaks barriers, and Naila is the perfect example of what can be accomplished when ambition meets opportunity.' Now, with only two 8,000-meter peaks left to summit—Cho Oyu and Shishapangma—Naila is within striking distance of completing all 14 of the world's highest peaks, a dream few have dared to chase and even fewer have achieved.
Express Tribune
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Daredevil feat
Mountaineering looks like a kid's stuff for us Pakistanis. And this is no overstatement. So many of our mountaineers have made the country proud by their daredevil exploits. Sirbaz Khan is the latest in the long list of Pakistani summiteers who have come up with record-setting feats. As Sirbaz scaled Kangchenjunga, the world's third highest peak having an altitude of 8,586 meters, this past Sunday, he clinched a remarkable feat – becoming the first Pakistani, and one of the very few elite mountaineers worldwide, to summit all the 14 peaks over 8,000 meters without supplementary oxygen support. The other 13 Eight Thousanders that Sirbaz has summited are Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Dhaulagiri, Manaslu, Nanga Parbat, Annapurna I, Gasherbrum I, Broad Peak, Gasherbrum II and Shishapangma. However, the story of Sirbaz – like nearly all other Pakistani mountaineers – is of paucity and privation in peaking. In the pursuit of his goals, Sirbaz – hailing from Gilgit-Baltistan – has ever had to do without proper hiking gear and essentials. His accomplishments have resulted from pure alpine climbing passion, sans the support enjoyed by his counterparts in the developed world. This is putting life in danger for a national honour – daredevilry in every sense of the word. There is no death of Pakistani mountaineers who are making a name for the nation on course of their professional pursuit. Sadly though, mountaineers are among the most neglected sportspersons in the country – hardly ever accorded any attention by the government in terms of provision of professional, technical or monetary support that they need and so very well deserve. It's about time the government started paying due attention to the sportspersons who continue to hoist the national flag on the peak of the peaks.
The Independent
19-05-2025
- The Independent
Indian and Romanian climbers die on Nepal's Mount Lhotse during Himalayan spring climbing season
An Indian and a Romanian climber died on Mount Lhotse in Nepal, one of the world's highest mountains, taking the total number of fatalities during this year's spring climbing season in the Himalayas to at least eight. Rakesh Kumar, a 39-year-old climber from India, died on Sunday while descending from the summit of Lhotse, which stands at 8,516m (27,940ft), according to Makalu Adventure, the expedition organiser. 'He was coming down from the 8,000m (26,246ft) high fourth camp when he suddenly collapsed,' said Mohan Lamsal, the managing director of the Nepali company. 'Efforts to revive him by his Sherpa guide failed.' On the same day, Romanian climber Barna Zsolt Vago, aged 48, died while ascending the mountain, said Mr Rajan Bhattarai of Himalayan Guides, the agency that handled his expedition. No additional information has been released about the circumstances of the deaths. The Lhotse climb shares part of its route with Mount Everest and is one of the most technically challenging peaks in the world. The spring climbing season in Nepal – March to May – typically sees hundreds of climbers attempt to summit the country's Himalayan giants, with fatalities not uncommon due to the extreme altitude, unpredictable weather, and physical exhaustion. This year, fatalities have included at least two climbers on Mount Everest, the world's tallest peak. Two mountaineers from India and the Philippines became the first to die on Mount Everest in the ongoing climbing season of the world's highest peak. The Indian national was identified as Subrata Ghosh, 45, from West Bengal, who died last Thursday below the Hillary Step while returning after summiting the 8,849m peak. 'He refused to descend from below the Hillary Step,' Bodhraj Bhandari of Nepal 's Snowy Horizon Treks and Expedition organising company said. Ghosh reportedly became exhausted during his descent, showed signs of altitude sickness and then refused to continue. The Filipino climber, Philipp II Santiago, 45, died on Wednesday at South Col while he was on his way up, Himal Gautam, a Nepali tourism department official, said. Santiago was tired when he reached the fourth high camp and died resting in his tent. 'We're consulting to bring his body back to the base camp,' Mr Gautam said.
