BEIJING — An avalanche hit Tibet’s Mount Shishapangma Saturday afternoon at 7,600 meters and 8,000 meters in altitude, state-owned Xinhua News Agency said, according to The Associated Press.
Shishapangma is the 14th-highest mountain in the world, the AP reported.
American climber Anna Gutu and Nepalese mountain guide Mingmar Sherpa were confirmed dead on Sunday by Xinhua News Agency. Another American climber Gina Marie Rzucidlo and Nepalese mountain guide Tenjen Sherpa were reported missing.
Sherpa was half of a duo that broke the record for the fastest climb of the 14 mountains in July, according to the AP. Sherpa reportedly wanted to become the youngest climber to climb all 14 peaks twice.
Rzucidlo’s family said on a Facebook post, according to WFXT, that she was declared dead by the Chinese officials Monday afternoon.
“We’re all devastated. We fluctuate between feeling numb and just crying,” Rzucidlo’s sister, Christy Lavallee told the news outlet.
“This is something she had been working on for a few years now. It’s heartbreaking because she was so, so close,” said Lavallee, according to WFXT.
A liaison officer of Tibet’s mountaineering team said that 52 climbers were climbing the summit when the avalanche hit from countries including the United States, Britain, Romania, Albania, Italy, Japan, Pakistan and more, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
All climbing has been suspended since due to snow conditions in the area. October is reportedly a popular time to climb the Himalayas, according to the AP.
At least 120 were killed by avalanches over the past two years, the AP reported.