Mountaineer Huserka Dies after Falling into Crevasse in Himalayas

Langtang, November 3 (TASR) - Following his successful ascent of Nepal's seven-thousander Langtang Lirung, Slovak mountaineer Ondrej Huserka died after falling into a crevasse, his fellow climber Marek Holecek posted on a social network on Saturday (November 2) evening. The Slovak Mountaineering Union 'James' confirmed the information on Sunday. "The helicopter with a team of professionals and volunteers couldn't take off on Sunday due to poor flying conditions. Since a period of bad weather is expected, this won't happen in the next few days. Given the personal phone conversation with Marek Holecek and his status posted on Saturday, as well as the weather situation below Langtang Lirung, the family, loved ones and friends will have to come to terms with the fact that Ondrej is no longer with us. A humble and great friend, a top alpinist, it is no exaggeration to say of world class, has passed away prematurely. Let's keep the memory of him alive from the moments when he was spreading his positivity and ever-present smile around," the Slovak Mountaineering Union 'James' wrote on a social network. Thirty-four-year-old Huserka and Czech top mountaineer Marek Holecek (49) climbed the extremely challenging 2,200-meter-high east face of the 7,227-meter-high Langtang Lirung for the first time. They reached the summit on Wednesday (October 30). The seven-thousander in the Langtang National Park, around 50 kilometres north of Nepal's capital Kathmandu, was first climbed in autumn 1978 by Japanese Seishi Wada and Nepalese Pemba Tshering Sherpa. Before Holecek and Huserka, 54 people had reached the summit. am