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US mountaineer and guide killed in avalanche in Tibet

Another American remains missing after the horror avalanche hit

Holly Hales
Monday 09 October 2023 08:50 EDT
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An American mountaineer and her guide have been killed in an avalanche in Tibet, as two others remain missing in the chaos.

Anna Gutu, 32, and her Nepalese guide, Mingmar Sherpa, vanished on Mount Shishapangma on Saturday after they were hit by the avalanche.

Another American, Gina Marie Rzucidlo, along with her guide, Tenjen Sherpa, remain missing on the mountain.

China’s state-run Xinhua news agency also reported that Nepalese guide Karma Gelen Sherpa was critically injured and taken to hospital.

More than 50 climbers are believed to have been making a bid for the summit when the avalanche hit.

The impacted climbers are from the United States, Britain, Romania, Albania, Italy, Japan and Pakistan.

Anna Gutu was killed in an avalanche while mountaineering in Tibet
Anna Gutu was killed in an avalanche while mountaineering in Tibet (Instagram)

Ms Gutu regularly posted her climbing pursuits on social media to her more than 35,000 Instagram followers.

Just last week she celebrated summiting Cho Oyu, the sixth-highest mountain in the world.

Ms Gutu said it was the 13th 8,000m mountain she had successfully climbed.

“One step, one peak closer to accomplish all 14 highest mountains on earth,” she wrote.

“I don’t think I fully comprehend what has happened for the past 6 months, but I am sure there will be a lot of material to wright a book or entire sequel time will tell.”

October is a popular time to summit the Himalayas because of its typically more stable weather conditions.

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