Mountaineer Anurag Maloo’s condition improving, still critical

Kathmandu: Indian climber Anurag Maloo has shown signs of improvement, but is still in critical condition, his brother said on Saturday, days after he was found alive by rescuers on Nepal’s Mount Annapurna.

Anurag, 34, a resident of Kishangarh in Rajasthan, went missing on Monday after he fell from around 6,000 meters while descending from Camp III.

Mount Annapurna is the 10th highest mountain in the world.

“Anurag is currently in the ICU. His health condition has improved, but is still in critical condition,” his brother Ashish Maloo told PTI at a hospital near Kathmandu, where he has been admitted since Thursday.

A team of rescuers located the Indian climber in a deep crevasse between Camp III and Camp II of the world's tenth highest peak, said Thaneshwor Guragain, information officer at Seven Summit Treks -- the organiser of the expedition.

He was airlifted to Kathmandu and admitted to Medicity Hospital at Bhaisepati area of Lalitpur district.

A helicopter and a team of six Sherpa climbers led by Chhang Dawa Sherpa was mobilised for the search and Anurag was found in a deep crevasse at some 5800-metre altitude on Thursday morning.

He was first taken to the Manipal Hospital in Pokhara and then flown to Kathmandu for further treatment.

A family member said that Anurag graduated from IIT Delhi in 2010.

Anurag is on a mission to climb all 14 peaks above 8,000 metres and the seven highest points in all seven continents to create awareness and drive action towards achieving the UN Global Goals.

He has been awarded REX Karam -- Veer Chakra and became the 2041 Antarctic Youth Ambassador from India.