Popular sherpa goes missing after falling into a crevasse at Saser Kangri IV

By Moupia Nandy and Kayesh Ansari

Pemba Sherpa (Pemba Ji) of Darjeeling, fell in a crevasse at Saserkangri IV (LADAKH), during a mountaineering expedition, on 13 July around 8 am. He was returning after summitting the mountain.

Pemba Ji has climbed Everest eight times. He has also summitted Mount Makalu Manasulu Kanchenjunga and many more. He has been long associated with Bengal Mountaineering and renowned mountaineers like Debasish Biswas. 

The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) rescue team, along with sherpas, will start from the base camp in search of the sherpa. However, it is believed that there is very little hope of recovering Pemba alive owing to oxygen crisis at such high altitude. The team will try to revive him is he is found in an unconscious state.   

Pemba Ji's wife told that he had left on June 19 with four other people. He said he is going to Manali and that he will return soon. This morning, his elder brother communicated that Pemba Ji was missing. 

Pemba had last called on June 29 while he was going to the top. He communicated that he will be going to the higher altitude and that he will call next only after he returns as his cell phone will not have the network. 

His daughter recalls her father leaving on June 19 while she was in school. Before leaving, she was told to focus on her studies and study well. He also said that he will return soon. 

While the search for Pemba Ji continues, his house is wrapped in a sombre mood. The family and his relatives are now praying for him to return home. 

The 47-year-old sherpa has a family of five -- a mother, 87, a wife, and three children.