NI climber Noel Hanna dies after scaling Himalayan peak

Renowned Northern Irish climber Noel Hanna has died while descending from the summit of the world's tenth highest peak, while an Indian climber is also missing on the same mountain, climbing officials have said.

Mr Hanna, who had climbed Mount Everest ten times, scaled the 8,091 metre-high Annapurna peak in west Nepal yesterday. He died overnight in Camp IV after descending from the peak.

Yubaraj Khatiwada, an official of the Department of Tourism, said the circumstances of Mr Hanna’s death were unclear.

He said an Indian climber, who fell into a crevasse on the lower reaches of Annapurna, has been missing since Monday.

Two other Indian mountaineers, who were caught up in bad weather while climbing Annapurna, were being rescued, hiking company officials said.

Annapurna peak in west Nepal, first climbed by Maurice Herzog of France in the early 1950s, is considered dangerous because of the risk of frequent avalanches.

At least 365 people have climbed Annapurna and more than 72 have died on the mountain, according to hiking officials.

Last week, three Nepali sherpa climbers died after being hit by an ice serac on the lower parts of Mount Everest.

Nepal has eight of the world’s 14 highest mountains.

Climbing Himalayan peaks and hiking on their foot hills are popular adventure sports, as well as a source of employment and income for the country, which is tucked between China and India.