Mirza’s family members prayed for his safe return, said the mountaineer’s brother. PHOTO: AFP
GILGIT: Pakistani mountaineer Mirza Ali has survived a deadly avalanche triggered on Mount Everest by the massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake which struck Nepal on April 25, claiming over 3,500 lives.
Mirza’s brother, Mehboob Ali, told The Express Tribune on Monday that Mirza was at a camp on the mountain at an altitude of 6,000 metres, along with eight to 10 other mountain climbers, when the disaster struck.
“He was lucky to have survived,” Mehboob said. “He informed us via satellite phone immediately afterwards that he was safe. He said the climbing team managed to descend from the high camp on Sunday.”
According to Mehboob, Mirza and his team members from various countries had climbed from the northern base camp which is situated in Tibet and was least affected by the disaster. He added his team also decided to descend the peak from the same route. “This is probably one of the reasons, apart from their good luck, that they managed to survive.”
Earlier this week, a powerful quake ripped through large parts of Nepal and its neighbouring countries, toppling office blocks and towers in capital Kathmandu and triggering a deadly avalanche on Mount Everest base camp in Nepal.
Upon hearing the news, Mirza’s family members prayed for his safe return, said the mountaineer’s brother.
Mirza Ali is the brother of mountain climber Samina Baig, the first Pakistani woman to summit Mount Everest (2013) as well as other highest mountains on each of the seven continents of the world – an achievement she accomplished last year. Mirza accompanied his sister during these mountaineering feats.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 28th, 2015.
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