KATHMANDU, May  18, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - A team of mountaineers has retrieved
the bodies of a US climber and her Nepali guide who were killed in an avalanche
on Mount Shishapangma in Tibet last year, organisers said Saturday.

Mount Shishapangma is one of the highest mountains in the world, at 8,027
metres (26,335 feet), and is located entirely within Chinese territory.

In October last year, an avalanche on the mountain killed two US climbers
and their Nepali guides.

Nirmal Purja of Elite Exped, a firm that organises expeditions, said
Saturday it had retrieved the bodies of American Anna Gutu and her Nepali guide
Mingmar Sherpa.

"Earlier this week, we were able to climb on Shishapangma and were able to
bring them down the mountain and cross the border," he said on Instagram.

"From there we brought them to Kathmandu and onward to be reunited with
their families."

China has closed Shishapangma expeditions this year, but the Elite Exped
team was given a permit for this mission.

The bodies of the other two, American Gina Marie Rzucidlo and her
record-holding guide Tenjen "Lama" Sherpa are still missing.

Tenjen Sherpa set the record last year for the fastest summit of all 14 of
the world's 8,000-metre (26,000-foot) mountains alongside Norway's Kristin
Harila.

Harila said on Instagram Friday that she was in Nepal for the "search and
repatriation" of her climbing partner and Rzucidlo but did not get a permit.

"I am so disappointed and feel totally empty in this situation," she said.

"We need a closure. But unfortunately, not now, not this time."