Search to begin for lost Everester

KOLKATA: With preparations on for opening the route to Mount Everest, the search for Gautam Ghosh — the mountaineer who went missing last year — will begin soon. The mystery behind his disappearance deepened after a camera was found that contained Ghosh’s photographs during the summit.
The veteran mountaineer started climbing for the highest peak in May last year. While other members of the team went for the summit, Gautam waited for Paresh Nath, another member of the group, who felt uneasy.None of the others saw Ghosh afterwards. While there was no confirmation from the summit managers, sherpas or fellow climbers about his death, large-scale search operations could not be conducted as the weather turned worse and the route closed for the year.
“Now that preparations to open the route has started, we are hopeful of finding him. We have managed a fund, but that is insufficient. We are also expecting help from the state,” said Ghosh’s brother Debashis. The family had last heard about Ghosh from mountaineer Trishala Gurung who spotted him near the triangular face while descending.
His brother Debashis thinks there are questions unanswered. “We were handed his camera by the expedition management company. The last photograph of him was taken at 1.57pm on May 21. The next photograph was of the sherpa at the summit. That means the sherpa knew what happened to him,” said Debashis.
The West Bengal Mountaineering and Adventure Sports Foundation is also keeping an eye on developments. “We are waiting to hear from groups that go for the summit. If required we might also help. But no decision has been taken as yet,” said Debdas Nandi, advisor to WBMASF.