An avalanche struck a 10-member expedition on Broad Peak on July 30, killing all the climbers, including Nepal-born British mountaineer Nirmal Purja. 'Nimsdai' was renowned for climbing all 14 of the world’s 8,000-metre peaks in record time.

Nepal Mourns Mountaineering Icon Nirmal Purja | Wion News

Rescue efforts are under way in the remote Tibetan slopes of Mount Everest where a snowstorm has trapped nearly 1,000 people in campsites on the eastern side of the mountain, according to Chinese state media.

Hundreds Trapped on Mount Everest; 1 Hiker Killed, 350 Evacuated to Safety 

Nepal Bans Solo Climbs On Mount Everest, Other 8,000-Metre Peaks Comes Into Effect

Trouble for climbers: Mt Everest becomes costlier 

A 52-year-old man died and another person got seriously injured after falling 1,000 feet off a steep mountain in Denali National Park, Alaska. This happened on April 25 while they were climbing Mount Johnson, known as "the Escalator." Robbi Mecus died from his injuries, while the other climber, a 30-year-old woman from California, was severely injured. She was rescued and taken to a hospital in Anchorage, as reported by the Independent. Another climbing group saw the fall and called for help around 10:45 pm.

"The reporting party then descended to the accident victims and confirmed one climber had died in the fall. The responders dug a snow cave and attended to the surviving climber's injuries throughout the night," the statement read.&nbsp;

Subsequently, a helicopter for rescue and two rangers specialised in mountaineering arrived at the location and successfully saved the injured woman.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-reopens-access-to-mount-everest-for-foreigners-707583">Also read |&nbsp;China allows foreign mountaineers to ascend Mount Everest after a gap of 4 years</a>

"Together, the ranger and injured patient were short-hauled out to a flat glacier staging area, and then loaded into the helicopter for the flight to Talkeetna," according to the statement. "The patient was transferred to a LifeMed air ambulance at the Talkeetna State Airport for further care," it added.&nbsp;

The helicopter and rangers later returned to the mountain to retrieve the body of the dead&nbsp;climber. An investigation into the incident is currently underway.

Also watch |&nbsp;Khumbu Icefall delays Everest climbing season

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<h2>Tragic climbing incidents in Denali National Park</h2>

Denali National Park and Preserve is located approximately 386km north of Anchorage. In 2022, Australian climber Matthias Riimi, aged 35, was reported dead&nbsp;four days after going missing on Denali. During the same year, a Japanese climber passed away after falling through an ice bridge into a crevasse on Mount Hunter. Additionally, in June 2022, Fernando Birman, aged 48, a climber from New Jersey, lost his life at an elevation of 19,700ft while attempting to summit the mountain.

(With inputs from agencies)

A 52-year-old man died and another person got seriously injured after falling 1,000 feet off a steep mountain in Denali National Park, Alaska. This happened on April 25 while they were climbing Mount Johnson, known as "the Escalator.

A 52-year-old man died and another person got seriously injured after falling 1,000 feet off a steep mountain in Denali National Park, Alaska. This happened on April 25 while they were climbing Mount Johnson, known as "the Escalator." Robbi Mecus died from his injuries, while the other climber, a 30-year-old woman from California, was severely injured. She was rescued and taken to a hospital in Anchorage, as reported by the Independent. Another climbing group saw the fall and called for help around 10:45 pm. "The reporting party then descended to the accident victims and confirmed one climber had died in the fall. The responders dug a snow cave and attended to the surviving climber's injuries throughout the night," the statement read. Subsequently, a helicopter for rescue and two rangers specialised in mountaineering arrived at the location and successfully saved the injured woman. Also read | China allows foreign mountaineers to ascend Mount Everest after a gap of 4 years "Together, the ranger and injured patient were short-hauled out to a flat glacier staging area, and then loaded into the helicopter for the flight to Talkeetna," according to the statement. "The patient was transferred to a LifeMed air ambulance at the Talkeetna State Airport for further care," it added. The helicopter and rangers later returned to the mountain to retrieve the body of the dead climber. An investigation into the incident is currently underway. Also watch | Khumbu Icefall delays Everest climbing season Tragic climbing incidents in Denali National Park Denali National Park and Preserve is located approximately 386km north of Anchorage. In 2022, Australian climber Matthias Riimi, aged 35, was reported dead four days after going missing on Denali. During the same year, a Japanese climber passed away after falling through an ice bridge into a crevasse on Mount Hunter. Additionally, in June 2022, Fernando Birman, aged 48, a climber from New Jersey, lost his life at an elevation of 19,700ft while attempting to summit the mountain. (With inputs from agencies)

52-year-old climber dies in 1,000-foot fall from Alaska mountain

A climber who plunged 600 metres (nearly 2,000 feet) down from the side of one of New Zealand’s most dangerous mountains, “miraculously” survived and only sustained minor injuries after landing on snow. New Zealand police&nbsp;on Monday (September 11) said that the man fell from Mount Taranaki on the North Island and was saved by the recent spring weather which softened the snow and broke his fall.&nbsp;

<h2>What happened?</h2>

In a statement, the police said that the man, who was not identified, was part of a group of climbers approaching the snow-capped summit of Mount Taranaki, on Saturday (Sep 9) when he lost his footing and slipped.&nbsp;

“Having watched their fellow climber slide down the mountain and out of view, another member of the group climbed down to try and locate them,” it added.&nbsp;

The police were alerted about the incident on Saturday around 12:00 pm (local time). The climber had sustained minor injuries during his fall, said senior constable Vaughan Smith, adding that he had lost his ice axe and crampons during the fall.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mount-everest-has-turned-dry-more-rocky-says-britains-record-holding-climber-594778">Mount Everest has turned 'dry, more rocky', says Britain’s record-holding climber</a>

“Thanks to recent spring weather, the ice had softened, and the snow caught the climber’s fall. He is exceptionally lucky to be alive,” said the police.

“These are challenging areas and when things go wrong there are often serious consequences.”&nbsp;

The distance that the climber, on Saturday fell equals the Makkah Clock Royal Tower in Saudi Arabia, one of the world’s tallest buildings, according to BBC.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

<h2>‘Deadliest mountains’</h2>

The New Zealand Mountain Safety Council describes Mount Taranaki as challenging for climbers all year round and has warned about its reputation as one of the country’s “deadliest mountains.”

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/watch-nearly-impossible-operation-nepali-sherpa-rescues-malaysian-climber-from-everests-death-zone-599159">'Nearly impossible operation': Nepali sherpa rescues Malaysian climber from Everest's 'death zone'</a>

There have been multiple deaths on Mount Taranaki over the years. The climber on Saturday slipped in the same area where two other mountaineers fell to their deaths back in 2021. Some five years prior to that incident, a French climber died after plummeting from the same peak.&nbsp;

The New Zealand police also warned and said that climbing Mount Taranaki requires “experience, knowledge and properly fitted and correct equipment.” It added, “Failing to be properly equipped could result in a very different ending to Saturday’s story.”&nbsp; 
 
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A climber who plunged 600 metres (nearly 2,000 feet) down from the side of one of New Zealand’s most dangerous mountains, “miraculously” survived and only sustained minor injuries after landing on snow.

A climber who plunged 600 metres (nearly 2,000 feet) down from the side of one of New Zealand’s most dangerous mountains, “miraculously” survived and only sustained minor injuries after landing on snow. New Zealand police on Monday (September 11) said that the man fell from Mount Taranaki on the North Island and was saved by the recent spring weather which softened the snow and broke his fall. What happened? In a statement, the police said that the man, who was not identified, was part of a group of climbers approaching the snow-capped summit of Mount Taranaki, on Saturday (Sep 9) when he lost his footing and slipped. “Having watched their fellow climber slide down the mountain and out of view, another member of the group climbed down to try and locate them,” it added. The police were alerted about the incident on Saturday around 12:00 pm (local time). The climber had sustained minor injuries during his fall, said senior constable Vaughan Smith, adding that he had lost his ice axe and crampons during the fall. ALSO READ | Mount Everest has turned 'dry, more rocky', says Britain’s record-holding climber “Thanks to recent spring weather, the ice had softened, and the snow caught the climber’s fall. He is exceptionally lucky to be alive,” said the police. “These are challenging areas and when things go wrong there are often serious consequences.” The distance that the climber, on Saturday fell equals the Makkah Clock Royal Tower in Saudi Arabia, one of the world’s tallest buildings, according to BBC. ‘Deadliest mountains’ The New Zealand Mountain Safety Council describes Mount Taranaki as challenging for climbers all year round and has warned about its reputation as one of the country’s “deadliest mountains.” ALSO READ | 'Nearly impossible operation': Nepali sherpa rescues Malaysian climber from Everest's 'death zone' There have been multiple deaths on Mount Taranaki over the years. The climber on Saturday slipped in the same area where two other mountaineers fell to their deaths back in 2021. Some five years prior to that incident, a French climber died after plummeting from the same peak. The New Zealand police also warned and said that climbing Mount Taranaki requires “experience, knowledge and properly fitted and correct equipment.” It added, “Failing to be properly equipped could result in a very different ending to Saturday’s story.” WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

New Zealand: ‘Exceptionally lucky’ climber survives 2,000-foot plunge from Mount Taranaki

Thieves in Switzerland have managed to not only conquer one of the country’s most challenging protected climbing routes but also robbed a collection used to fund the maintenance of said route, while they were at it.&nbsp;

The incident has since sparked outrage from the local climbing group which took to social media to say what kind of people would do this along with an image of the smashed donation box.&nbsp;

<h2>About the high-altitude heist</h2>

It is worth noting that the heist was conducted by robbers who ascended to an altitude of 2,350 metres passing the traversed gorges on narrow steel cables, reported BBC.&nbsp;

The donation box from where the money was stolen belonged to the local climbing club and what shocked them was that the box was only accessible to the most experienced climbers.&nbsp;

The club maintains Switzerland’s longest protected climbing route known as via ferrata, on the Gemmi pass above Leukerbad village and does not receive any salary for the work.&nbsp;

The route is classed as level 5 (most difficult) and as per BBC involves serious climbing, ascending ladders bolted into the vertical rock face and crossing steep gorges on narrow steel cables.

In a post on Facebook, the group expressed their shock and outrage and said, “What kind of people are these??? The members of the IG climbing platform maintain the climbing platform without pay and different compensation.”&nbsp;

Given the difficulty of the route and the requirement to be equipped with necessary mountaineering gear for the climb, the theft is believed to have been carefully planned well in advance, as per the people who discovered the smashed donation box.&nbsp;

The thieves were also seemingly equipped with the tools that allowed them to break open the donation box “with brute force,” said the climbing club, as per the British media report. It also appears that they continued their ascent, with the money, to the top of the Dauberhorn, at 2941 metres.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

<h2>How much money did they steal?</h2>

While the climbing club is not sure exactly how much money the thieves took, club member and mountain guide Richard Werlen told the BBC it was likely to be at least 400-500 Swiss francs ($450-560)

The club also said that it might be difficult to find the perpetrator considering the last few days have been perfect climbing weather and they have received a large number of mountaineers at via ferrata.

The club has since received some 500 francs to replace the stolen donations by a local benefactor, reported BBC.&nbsp; 
 
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Thieves in Switzerland have managed to not only conquer one of the country’s most challenging protected climbing routes but also robbed a collection used to fund the maintenance of said route, while they were at it.

Thieves in Switzerland have managed to not only conquer one of the country’s most challenging protected climbing routes but also robbed a collection used to fund the maintenance of said route, while they were at it. The incident has since sparked outrage from the local climbing group which took to social media to say what kind of people would do this along with an image of the smashed donation box. About the high-altitude heist It is worth noting that the heist was conducted by robbers who ascended to an altitude of 2,350 metres passing the traversed gorges on narrow steel cables, reported BBC. The donation box from where the money was stolen belonged to the local climbing club and what shocked them was that the box was only accessible to the most experienced climbers. The club maintains Switzerland’s longest protected climbing route known as via ferrata, on the Gemmi pass above Leukerbad village and does not receive any salary for the work. The route is classed as level 5 (most difficult) and as per BBC involves serious climbing, ascending ladders bolted into the vertical rock face and crossing steep gorges on narrow steel cables. In a post on Facebook, the group expressed their shock and outrage and said, “What kind of people are these??? The members of the IG climbing platform maintain the climbing platform without pay and different compensation.” Given the difficulty of the route and the requirement to be equipped with necessary mountaineering gear for the climb, the theft is believed to have been carefully planned well in advance, as per the people who discovered the smashed donation box. The thieves were also seemingly equipped with the tools that allowed them to break open the donation box “with brute force,” said the climbing club, as per the British media report. It also appears that they continued their ascent, with the money, to the top of the Dauberhorn, at 2941 metres. How much money did they steal? While the climbing club is not sure exactly how much money the thieves took, club member and mountain guide Richard Werlen told the BBC it was likely to be at least 400-500 Swiss francs ($450-560) The club also said that it might be difficult to find the perpetrator considering the last few days have been perfect climbing weather and they have received a large number of mountaineers at via ferrata. The club has since received some 500 francs to replace the stolen donations by a local benefactor, reported BBC. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

‘What kind of people…’: High-altitude heist on climbing route shocks Switzerland

A British man attempted to scale the world’s fifth tallest building without ropes on Monday until South Korean authorities forced him to abandon his climb more than halfway up the 123-storey Lotte World Tower in Seoul.

The 24-year-old man, wearing shorts, made his way up the landmark skyscraper for more than an hour as police and fire crews gathered below.

He reached the 73rd floor where authorities forced him to get into a maintenance cradle and enter the building, a fire department official said, adding that police took him into custody for questioning.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/french-spiderman-alain-robert-climbs-skyscraper-to-protest-latest-english-news-wion-584383">WATCH |&nbsp;'French Spiderman' Alain Robert climbs skyscraper to protest</a>

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Police were not immediately available for comment.

The Chosun Ilbo newspaper identified the man as George King-Thompson. British media reported he was arrested and jailed for climbing the Shard building in London in 2019.

In 2018 police arrested “French Spiderman” Alain Robert as he was more than halfway up the Lotte World Tower.

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A British man attempted to scale the world’s fifth tallest building without ropes on Monday until South Korean authorities forced him to abandon his climb more than halfway up the 123-storey Lotte World Tower in Seoul.

A British man attempted to scale the world’s fifth tallest building without ropes on Monday until South Korean authorities forced him to abandon his climb more than halfway up the 123-storey Lotte World Tower in Seoul. The 24-year-old man, wearing shorts, made his way up the landmark skyscraper for more than an hour as police and fire crews gathered below. He reached the 73rd floor where authorities forced him to get into a maintenance cradle and enter the building, a fire department official said, adding that police took him into custody for questioning. WATCH | 'French Spiderman' Alain Robert climbs skyscraper to protest × Police were not immediately available for comment. The Chosun Ilbo newspaper identified the man as George King-Thompson. British media reported he was arrested and jailed for climbing the Shard building in London in 2019. In 2018 police arrested “French Spiderman” Alain Robert as he was more than halfway up the Lotte World Tower. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Man arrested for 'nearly' climbing South Korean skyscraper without safety ropes

Alain Robert, the free climber dubbed the "French Spiderman", scaled a 48-storey skyscraper in Paris on Saturday, fulfilling a goal he had set for himself once he reached the age of 60.

Dressed in red, Robert raised his arms aloft as he reached the top of the 187-metre (613-foot) Tour TotalEnergies building, which towers over the French capital's La Defense business district.

"I want to send people the message that being 60 is nothing. You can still do sport, be active, do fabulous things," said Robert, whose 60th birthday was last month.

"I promised myself several years ago that when I reached 60, I would climb that tower again because 60 symbolises retirement age in France and I thought that was a nice touch." he told Reuters.

Robert, who also wanted to use the climb to raise awareness about the need for climate change action, had already climbed the TotalEnergies tower on numerous occasions.

He began climbing in 1975, training on the cliffs near his hometown of Valence in southern France. He took up solo climbing in 1977 and rapidly became a top climber.

Since then, he has climbed more than 150 towering structures around the world including Dubai's Burj Khalifa - the world's tallest building, the Eiffel Tower, and San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge.

Often climbing without permission, he has been arrested repeatedly. He climbs without a harness, using only his bare hands, a pair of climbing shoes, and a bag of powdered chalk to wipe off the sweat.

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Alain Robert, the free climber dubbed the "French Spiderman", scaled a 48-storey skyscraper in Paris on Saturday, fulfilling a goal he had set for himself once he reached the age of 60.

Alain Robert, the free climber dubbed the "French Spiderman", scaled a 48-storey skyscraper in Paris on Saturday, fulfilling a goal he had set for himself once he reached the age of 60. Dressed in red, Robert raised his arms aloft as he reached the top of the 187-metre (613-foot) Tour TotalEnergies building, which towers over the French capital's La Defense business district. "I want to send people the message that being 60 is nothing. You can still do sport, be active, do fabulous things," said Robert, whose 60th birthday was last month. "I promised myself several years ago that when I reached 60, I would climb that tower again because 60 symbolises retirement age in France and I thought that was a nice touch." he told Reuters. Robert, who also wanted to use the climb to raise awareness about the need for climate change action, had already climbed the TotalEnergies tower on numerous occasions. He began climbing in 1975, training on the cliffs near his hometown of Valence in southern France. He took up solo climbing in 1977 and rapidly became a top climber. Since then, he has climbed more than 150 towering structures around the world including Dubai's Burj Khalifa - the world's tallest building, the Eiffel Tower, and San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge. Often climbing without permission, he has been arrested repeatedly. He climbs without a harness, using only his bare hands, a pair of climbing shoes, and a bag of powdered chalk to wipe off the sweat. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'French Spiderman' climbs a 48-storey tower to ring in his 60th birthday

Ukraine has voiced its disapproval after Nepal issued climbing permit for Mt. Everest to nine Russians.

The embattled country wants the Himalayan country to ban the Russian mountaineers in the wake of invasion of Ukraine.

Nepal's Department of Tourism announced that it has started issuing climbing permits to climb the tallest mountain in the world in spring. It has so far issued permits for 18 expedition teams to climb mountains above 6,000m this spring season.

According to BBC, the Ukrainian embassy in Delhi sent a diplomatic note to Nepal's government saying that numerous international sports federations have barred Russian athletes.

"Taking into consideration the above, the esteemed Nepalese side is kindly requested to ban Russian mountaineering teams until the end of [the] Russian invasion into Ukraine," the letter said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-shelling-in-ukraine-continues-despite-peace-talks-466932" hreflang="en">Russian shelling in Ukraine continues despite peace talks</a>

However, officials in Nepal say they will continue to issue permits to anyone abiding by the government's rules and regulations

"There has been no change in our policy so far," the director general of Nepal's tourism department, Taranath Adhikari, told the BBC.

"We believe our mountains are global assets and any countries' citizens willing to visit them for attainment of peace should be allowed to do so - as long as they do it within our legal provisions."

The Ukrainian embassy in Delhi reportedly said that it made the request to the Nepalese embassy in the Indian capital on 21 March, but Nepalese embassy officials told the BBC they had received no communication on the issue.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amid-the-russia-ukraine-war-us-and-russian-astronauts-return-to-earth-together-466881">Amid Russia-Ukraine war, US and Russian astronauts return to Earth together</a>

During spring last year, a record 408 climbing permits were issued from the Nepali side, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, in which 49 Russians and 19 Ukrainians were registered on Nepalese mountains higher than 8,000m, according to the Himalayan Database, which records data related to mountaineering in the Nepalese Himalayas.

Out of them, 14 Russian and six Ukrainian climbers were on Everest.

According to local media reports, Nepal is expecting over 300 climbers to receive permits this year.

Watch |&nbsp;Russia turns to China amid isolation, Lavrov on first China visit since invasion

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(With inputs from agencies)

Ukraine has voiced its disapproval after Nepal issued climbing permit for Mt. Everest to nine Russians. The embattled country wants the Himalayan country to ban the Russian mountaineers in the wake of invasion of Ukraine.

Ukraine has voiced its disapproval after Nepal issued climbing permit for Mt. Everest to nine Russians. The embattled country wants the Himalayan country to ban the Russian mountaineers in the wake of invasion of Ukraine. Nepal's Department of Tourism announced that it has started issuing climbing permits to climb the tallest mountain in the world in spring. It has so far issued permits for 18 expedition teams to climb mountains above 6,000m this spring season. According to BBC, the Ukrainian embassy in Delhi sent a diplomatic note to Nepal's government saying that numerous international sports federations have barred Russian athletes. "Taking into consideration the above, the esteemed Nepalese side is kindly requested to ban Russian mountaineering teams until the end of [the] Russian invasion into Ukraine," the letter said. Also read | Russian shelling in Ukraine continues despite peace talks However, officials in Nepal say they will continue to issue permits to anyone abiding by the government's rules and regulations "There has been no change in our policy so far," the director general of Nepal's tourism department, Taranath Adhikari, told the BBC. "We believe our mountains are global assets and any countries' citizens willing to visit them for attainment of peace should be allowed to do so - as long as they do it within our legal provisions." The Ukrainian embassy in Delhi reportedly said that it made the request to the Nepalese embassy in the Indian capital on 21 March, but Nepalese embassy officials told the BBC they had received no communication on the issue. Also read | Amid Russia-Ukraine war, US and Russian astronauts return to Earth together During spring last year, a record 408 climbing permits were issued from the Nepali side, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, in which 49 Russians and 19 Ukrainians were registered on Nepalese mountains higher than 8,000m, according to the Himalayan Database, which records data related to mountaineering in the Nepalese Himalayas. Out of them, 14 Russian and six Ukrainian climbers were on Everest. According to local media reports, Nepal is expecting over 300 climbers to receive permits this year. Watch | Russia turns to China amid isolation, Lavrov on first China visit since invasion (With inputs from agencies)

Russia-Ukraine war: Kyiv objects to Nepal issuing climbing permits to Russians, wants them to be banned

A Nepali mountaineer on Tuesday smashed the record for summiting the world's 14 highest peaks, racing up all "8000ers" in just seven months, according to a post on his social media accounts.&nbsp;

Nirmal Purja completed the climb of the 14 mountains, all over 8,000 metres (26,250 feet) in seven months, the post said. The previous record was almost eight years.

"MISSION ACHIEVED! says @nimsdai from the summit of #Shishapangma," read the post on Purja's Facebook page, referring to the final peak in China.

Polish climber Jerzy Kukuczka completed the same feat after seven years, 11 months and 14 days in 1987 after Italy's legendary Reinhold Messner became the first to scale the 14 peaks a year earlier.

South Korean Kim Chang-ho completed the challenge one month slower than Kukuczka,&nbsp;although unlike Kukuczka, who died in a climbing accident in 1989, he never used supplementary oxygen.

The 36-year-old Purja, a former member of the Gurkhas,&nbsp;a unit of Nepalis recruited into the British army, as well as the elite Special Boat Service, kicked off his ambitious "Project Possible" in April.

In the first part of his record attempt, Purja climbed&nbsp;Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, Kanchenjunga, Everest, Lhotse and Makalu,&nbsp;among the highest of the "8000ers",&nbsp;in just one month.&nbsp;

A month later, he headed to Pakistan for the second part, where he first tackled the notorious Nanga Parbat at 8,125 metres.

Battling sleep deprivation to meet his target, Purja said he was almost sprinting up and down five of Pakistan's highest peaks including Gasherbrum I, Gasherbrum II and K2, the second tallest in the world.

Twenty-three days later he was standing atop Broad Peak, his fifth and final mountain of the second phase.

Purja began his final push in September, reaching the tops of Cho Oyu and Manaslu within a week.

When he first told others about his new quest, "everyone was laughing at me and saying 'how it will be possible'?" Purja told AFP in a recent interview.

"It is about trusting your ability," he had said as he relaxed in Kathmandu waiting to ascend the final peak.

"You always need to have (a) positive mindset because sometimes things will go wrong."

He also said that he wanted to use his feats to inspire the next generation of Nepali climbers to break his records.

Sherpas, Nepalis who often work as&nbsp;guides for foreign mountaineers,&nbsp;are the backbone of the country's lucrative climbing industry but don't attract as much attention or accolades as their international companions.

"Nepal is home to the highest peaks in the world. There are so much better climbers out there who (haven't) got the opportunity," he told AFP in Kathmandu.

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A Nepali mountaineer on Tuesday smashed the record for summiting the world's 14 highest peaks, racing up all "8000ers" in just seven months, according to a post on his social media accounts.

A Nepali mountaineer on Tuesday smashed the record for summiting the world's 14 highest peaks, racing up all "8000ers" in just seven months, according to a post on his social media accounts. Nirmal Purja completed the climb of the 14 mountains, all over 8,000 metres (26,250 feet) in seven months, the post said. The previous record was almost eight years. "MISSION ACHIEVED! says @nimsdai from the summit of #Shishapangma," read the post on Purja's Facebook page, referring to the final peak in China. Polish climber Jerzy Kukuczka completed the same feat after seven years, 11 months and 14 days in 1987 after Italy's legendary Reinhold Messner became the first to scale the 14 peaks a year earlier. South Korean Kim Chang-ho completed the challenge one month slower than Kukuczka, although unlike Kukuczka, who died in a climbing accident in 1989, he never used supplementary oxygen. The 36-year-old Purja, a former member of the Gurkhas, a unit of Nepalis recruited into the British army, as well as the elite Special Boat Service, kicked off his ambitious "Project Possible" in April. In the first part of his record attempt, Purja climbed Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, Kanchenjunga, Everest, Lhotse and Makalu, among the highest of the "8000ers", in just one month. A month later, he headed to Pakistan for the second part, where he first tackled the notorious Nanga Parbat at 8,125 metres. Battling sleep deprivation to meet his target, Purja said he was almost sprinting up and down five of Pakistan's highest peaks including Gasherbrum I, Gasherbrum II and K2, the second tallest in the world. Twenty-three days later he was standing atop Broad Peak, his fifth and final mountain of the second phase. Purja began his final push in September, reaching the tops of Cho Oyu and Manaslu within a week. When he first told others about his new quest, "everyone was laughing at me and saying 'how it will be possible'?" Purja told AFP in a recent interview. "It is about trusting your ability," he had said as he relaxed in Kathmandu waiting to ascend the final peak. "You always need to have (a) positive mindset because sometimes things will go wrong." He also said that he wanted to use his feats to inspire the next generation of Nepali climbers to break his records. Sherpas, Nepalis who often work as guides for foreign mountaineers, are the backbone of the country's lucrative climbing industry but don't attract as much attention or accolades as their international companions. "Nepal is home to the highest peaks in the world. There are so much better climbers out there who (haven't) got the opportunity," he told AFP in Kathmandu.

8000ers club: Nepal mountaineer claims new speed record for climbing world's 14 highest peaks

Three Indians died on Mount Everest due to hours-long "traffic jam", just days after expedition leaders and the Nepal government claimed overcrowding on the world's tallest mountain was not a worry.

Three Indian climbers died due to traffic jam on Mt. Everest

An eight-member team of Nepali mountain guides on Tuesday successfully scaled the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/five-tons-of-garbage-collected-from-mount-everest-217208">Mount Everest</a>, becoming the season's first team to open the climbing route to the world's highest peak.

The climbers successfully fixed the climbing ropes from the South Col to the summit point and scaled the 8,848-metre peak on Tuesday for the other climbers to follow, according to Ummid Bhandari, manager at Himalayan Guides Nepal, that organised the expedition.

The expedition was led by Siddhi Bahadur Tamang.&nbsp;

The Expedition Operators Association of Nepal has assigned Himalayan Guides to fix the route above Camp II this season, while a team of icefall doctors assigned by the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee opened the climbing route from the base camp to Camp II.

Around 378 climbers, part of 41 different teams, have obtained climbing permits for Mount Everest from the department of tourism this spring season, officials said.

An eight-member team of Nepali mountain guides on Tuesday successfully scaled the Mount Everest, becoming the season's first team to open the climbing route to the world's highest peak.

An eight-member team of Nepali mountain guides on Tuesday successfully scaled the Mount Everest, becoming the season's first team to open the climbing route to the world's highest peak. The climbers successfully fixed the climbing ropes from the South Col to the summit point and scaled the 8,848-metre peak on Tuesday for the other climbers to follow, according to Ummid Bhandari, manager at Himalayan Guides Nepal, that organised the expedition. The expedition was led by Siddhi Bahadur Tamang. The Expedition Operators Association of Nepal has assigned Himalayan Guides to fix the route above Camp II this season, while a team of icefall doctors assigned by the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee opened the climbing route from the base camp to Camp II. Around 378 climbers, part of 41 different teams, have obtained climbing permits for Mount Everest from the department of tourism this spring season, officials said.

Eight climbing guides reach Everest top, open climbing route for this season

As a 13-year-old, he was diagnosed with&nbsp;Hodgkin&rsquo;s disease - a severe blood cancer. Being in the fourth and final stage, doctors declared that he will not live for more than ninety days. However, he fought and survived. At 16, another&nbsp;golf ball-sized cancerous tumor was discovered in his lung. After removal of the Askin&rsquo;s tumor, Sean Swarner was expected to live for only fourteen days. But he survived again to astonish the medical world.

A decade later and with only one fully functioning lung, Sean became&nbsp;the first cancer survivor to climb Mount Everest, proving to others that nothing is impossible when your&nbsp;determination is rock solid. The journey didn&#39;t end there; he completed the Ironman Championship and made it to the top of the Seven Summits, the highest peaks of the seven continents. He is also an author of two inspirational novels and the founder of CancerClimber Association, a non-profit organization for cancer survivors.

Kazimi: What was your state of mind when you were first&nbsp;detected with cancer?

Sean:&nbsp;Since I was only a 13-year-old, I didn&rsquo;t fully understand how devastating it would be to my life. Being so young, I don&rsquo;t think I had a full grasp on the concept of life versus death, but I knew I was sick and that if I lost the will and hope to live, I wouldn&rsquo;t survive.

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Sean Swarner at age 13, when he was diagnosed with cancer (WION)
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Kazimi: How did you deal with it the second time?

Sean:&nbsp;I knew what I was getting into much better than before because I had been through a year of hell with the chemotherapy, treatments, bloating, loss of hair&nbsp;and everything else that I&rsquo;d never wish for my worst enemy. I was more scared the second time because I understood what was about to happen &ndash; my life was going to be put on hold until I was better again.

I went through the first one, and I sure didn&rsquo;t want to go through another! I mentally told myself either to fight for my life or give up and die.

Kazimi: What were some thoughts occupying your mind?

Sean:&nbsp;It was difficult in the beginning, I kept asking myself &ldquo;why me?&rdquo; Eventually, I realized that it WAS ME and I cannot change the fact that I had cancer,&nbsp;but I could change my thoughts about cancer. In the process of self-healing, I used to picture&nbsp;myself killing&nbsp;cancer in my veins.

<h3 dir="ltr">Kazimi: So&nbsp;you believe&nbsp;the human mind has the power to heal?</h3>

&nbsp;

Sean:&nbsp;The power of the&nbsp;human mind is often underestimated.&nbsp;It can heal on many levels, including emotional, physical and psychological.&nbsp;You always have the freedom to&nbsp;choose how you want to perceive the world. No one can make you feel in a certain manner or force their thoughts upon you unless you want to. You always have a choice. It boils down to perspective &ndash; instead of seeing a challenge as a challenge, see it from a different angle and look at it as an&nbsp;opportunity.

Kazimi: How would you define hope?

Sean:&nbsp;I believe it&rsquo;s more than words could ever describe. It&rsquo;s the feeling we get when we expect&nbsp;a certain outcome&nbsp;and sense an unsaid but unwavering assurance for it to happen. To quote Emily Dickinson, &ldquo;Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul&nbsp;and sings the tune without words, and never stops at all.&rdquo;

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&quot;Being so young, I don&rsquo;t think I had a full grasp on the concept of life versus death, but I knew I was sick, and that if I lost the will to live and if I lost hope, I wouldn&rsquo;t survive&quot; (Source: Facebook, Sean Swarner) (Facebook)
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Kazimi: Who has shared&nbsp;hope with you?

Sean:&nbsp;My friends and family are my greatest strength. I also make an effort to grasp something from everyone I meet.&nbsp;We have two ears and one mouth for a reason&nbsp;and if we listen we can learn something new each day.

Kazimi: You are the first cancer survivor to conquer Mt. Everest- What inspired you?

Sean:&nbsp;After surviving cancer twice, I wanted to spread hope among those struggling with the disease. I literally wanted the highest platform in the world to scream hope. I developed&nbsp;interest in mountain climbing only eight months before I went for the Everest.&nbsp;People touched by the disease are fighting for their lives; I can struggle through being cold&nbsp;and a little altitude sickness.

Kazimi: When did you decide to do the Seven Summits?

Sean:&nbsp;I could see the impact my first expedition had made, and I didn&#39;t want to stop there.&nbsp;After coming home from Everest, I figured that the rest of those mountains on every other continent couldn&rsquo;t be harder than Everest, so I went for it.

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Sean during his expedition to Antarctica (WION)
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&nbsp;

Kazimi: What was the scariest moment?

Sean:&nbsp;I&#39;ve had a number of them and going through cancer definitely is one. Another would be when&nbsp;I was climbing Mt. Denali&nbsp;and&nbsp;fell from a height of 100 feet. I was roped&nbsp;to my climbing partner when I slid 50 feet below him, then another 50 feet below, rocketing down a glacier on the highest mountain in North America.

Kazimi: What impact have you been able to&nbsp;make with your organization?

Sean:&nbsp;We raise funds for cancer survivors who are interested in adventure sports and take them to&nbsp;Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa. These survivors reach out to their own communities and share their survivorship story to inspire others to climb their own proverbial mountains to make more out of their lives.

Kazimi: What is the overall message?

Sean:&nbsp;Even though I speak about different causes in different places, the underlying message is all about &ldquo;Redefining Your Impossible&rdquo; and living a life that matters.

Kazimi: Please share a memory&nbsp;when your story&nbsp;impacted others

Sean:&nbsp;At a conference after my presentation,&nbsp;I was addressing the audience. I could tell that the next woman in the queue&nbsp;had been crying because her mascara was running down her face and her nose was red. She came up to me, hugged me, buried her face in my chest and started sobbing. I hugged her back and held her until she was ready to talk. She told me that in the past 6 months, she lost her husband and son to cancer and now she&nbsp;herself, had been diagnosed with the disease for the third time. She had planned on committing suicide and&nbsp;had a suicide note written in her hotel room. She said that my talk changed her mind and that I saved her life. It made me believe that I could make a difference.

Kazimi: Out of all your milestones, which one do you consider your highest?

Sean:&nbsp;I feel the highest milestone&nbsp;is yet to come,&nbsp;maybe it will be when I get married and have a family.

Kazimi: Any words for those going through a hard time in life?

Sean:&nbsp;&ldquo;This too shall pass,&rdquo; because it does. Embrace the positive, enjoy everything you can when life is good&nbsp;and know the bad times are going to pass. People get big muscles by pushing against massive weight. In the same way, people build their mental character and strength by pushing through the tough times.

(Coordinator and Editor: Devanshi Verma)

'I knew I was sick and that if I lost the hope to live, I wouldn?t survive'

As a 13-year-old, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease - a severe blood cancer. Being in the fourth and final stage, doctors declared that he will not live for more than ninety days. However, he fought and survived. At 16, another golf ball-sized cancerous tumor was discovered in his lung. After removal of the Askin’s tumor, Sean Swarner was expected to live for only fourteen days. But he survived again to astonish the medical world. A decade later and with only one fully functioning lung, Sean became the first cancer survivor to climb Mount Everest, proving to others that nothing is impossible when your determination is rock solid. The journey didn't end there; he completed the Ironman Championship and made it to the top of the Seven Summits, the highest peaks of the seven continents. He is also an author of two inspirational novels and the founder of CancerClimber Association, a non-profit organization for cancer survivors. Kazimi: What was your state of mind when you were first detected with cancer? Sean: Since I was only a 13-year-old, I didn’t fully understand how devastating it would be to my life. Being so young, I don’t think I had a full grasp on the concept of life versus death, but I knew I was sick and that if I lost the will and hope to live, I wouldn’t survive. Sean Swarner at age 13, when he was diagnosed with cancer (WION) × Kazimi: How did you deal with it the second time? Sean: I knew what I was getting into much better than before because I had been through a year of hell with the chemotherapy, treatments, bloating, loss of hair and everything else that I’d never wish for my worst enemy. I was more scared the second time because I understood what was about to happen – my life was going to be put on hold until I was better again. I went through the first one, and I sure didn’t want to go through another! I mentally told myself either to fight for my life or give up and die. Kazimi: What were some thoughts occupying your mind? Sean: It was difficult in the beginning, I kept asking myself “why me?” Eventually, I realized that it WAS ME and I cannot change the fact that I had cancer, but I could change my thoughts about cancer. In the process of self-healing, I used to picture myself killing cancer in my veins. Kazimi: So you believe the human mind has the power to heal? Sean: The power of the human mind is often underestimated. It can heal on many levels, including emotional, physical and psychological. You always have the freedom to choose how you want to perceive the world. No one can make you feel in a certain manner or force their thoughts upon you unless you want to. You always have a choice. It boils down to perspective – instead of seeing a challenge as a challenge, see it from a different angle and look at it as an opportunity. Kazimi: How would you define hope? Sean: I believe it’s more than words could ever describe. It’s the feeling we get when we expect a certain outcome and sense an unsaid but unwavering assurance for it to happen. To quote Emily Dickinson, “Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without words, and never stops at all.” "Being so young, I don’t think I had a full grasp on the concept of life versus death, but I knew I was sick, and that if I lost the will to live and if I lost hope, I wouldn’t survive" (Source: Facebook, Sean Swarner) (Facebook) × Kazimi: Who has shared hope with you? Sean: My friends and family are my greatest strength. I also make an effort to grasp something from everyone I meet. We have two ears and one mouth for a reason and if we listen we can learn something new each day. Kazimi: You are the first cancer survivor to conquer Mt. Everest- What inspired you? Sean: After surviving cancer twice, I wanted to spread hope among those struggling with the disease. I literally wanted the highest platform in the world to scream hope. I developed interest in mountain climbing only eight months before I went for the Everest. People touched by the disease are fighting for their lives; I can struggle through being cold and a little altitude sickness. Kazimi: When did you decide to do the Seven Summits? Sean: I could see the impact my first expedition had made, and I didn't want to stop there. After coming home from Everest, I figured that the rest of those mountains on every other continent couldn’t be harder than Everest, so I went for it. Sean during his expedition to Antarctica (WION) × Kazimi: What was the scariest moment? Sean: I've had a number of them and going through cancer definitely is one. Another would be when I was climbing Mt. Denali and fell from a height of 100 feet. I was roped to my climbing partner when I slid 50 feet below him, then another 50 feet below, rocketing down a glacier on the highest mountain in North America. Kazimi: What impact have you been able to make with your organization? Sean: We raise funds for cancer survivors who are interested in adventure sports and take them to Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa. These survivors reach out to their own communities and share their survivorship story to inspire others to climb their own proverbial mountains to make more out of their lives. Kazimi: What is the overall message? Sean: Even though I speak about different causes in different places, the underlying message is all about “Redefining Your Impossible” and living a life that matters. Kazimi: Please share a memory when your story impacted others Sean: At a conference after my presentation, I was addressing the audience. I could tell that the next woman in the queue had been crying because her mascara was running down her face and her nose was red. She came up to me, hugged me, buried her face in my chest and started sobbing. I hugged her back and held her until she was ready to talk. She told me that in the past 6 months, she lost her husband and son to cancer and now she herself, had been diagnosed with the disease for the third time. She had planned on committing suicide and had a suicide note written in her hotel room. She said that my talk changed her mind and that I saved her life. It made me believe that I could make a difference. Kazimi: Out of all your milestones, which one do you consider your highest? Sean: I feel the highest milestone is yet to come, maybe it will be when I get married and have a family. Kazimi: Any words for those going through a hard time in life? Sean: “This too shall pass,” because it does. Embrace the positive, enjoy everything you can when life is good and know the bad times are going to pass. People get big muscles by pushing against massive weight. In the same way, people build their mental character and strength by pushing through the tough times. (Coordinator and Editor: Devanshi Verma)

Konversations: The cancer survivor who climbed Everest

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