Search continues for missing Indian climber in Nepal: Report

The search operation is going on to trace Indian climber Anurag Maloo, who went missing after falling into a deep crevasse on Nepal's Mount Annapurna, the 10th highest mountain in the world.

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

A team of five sherpa climbers are conducting a ground search for the missing climber, Chhang Dawa Sherpa, the expedition director at Seven Summit Treks, was quoted as saying by the Himalayan Times newspaper.

The expedition organiser added that an aerial search was also conducted on Tuesday to trace the Indian climber, it added.

Maloo 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.

Meanwhile, Maloo's brother Aashish has sought help from the governments of Nepal and India in finding his brother.

Aashish posted the request for help on change.org, addressed to India's Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

"Last week he had set out to climb Mount Annapurna, the 10th highest mountain in the world. It was without question that he will return after successfully summiting yet another peak. But in an unfortunate turn of events, he fell down from around 6,000m while descending from Camp III on 17th April, and since then has been missing.

"We are devastated. It feels like our worst nightmares have come true, but we cannot lose hope. We know that Anurag is out there somewhere, waiting for us. Help us find him by signing and sharing this petition," Aashish said in the post on the crowd petition website.

He said a team of sherpas has started the search operation but that’s not enough.

"We need to act faster!! We need support from the Indian and Nepalese governments. We have contacted some of them, and need your support in making sure our voices reach them," he said.