Desperate search launched as British man goes missing after reaching Mount Everest summit
The family of a British man who went missing on Mount Everest are desperately trying to raise money to find the lost climber.
Daniel Paterson, 40, and his Nepalese guide Pastenji Sherpa, 23, reached the summit of the world’s highest mountain on Tuesday but have not been heard from since, according to Sky News.
Mr Paterson’s partner has set up an “urgent” GoFundMe page to try and raise money for helicopter and specialised teams to carry out a search and rescue effort.
The fundraiser says: “My name is Becks Woodhead and I am the partner of Dan ‘Pat’ Paterson. Dan's family and I, urgently need your help.
“On May 21st, at 4:40 AM, Daniel Paterson successfully reached the summit of Mount Everest— a monumental achievement and a testament to his strength and determination.
“Tragically, during his descent, Daniel went missing, and there has been no contact or sighting of him since.
Dan is not just an adventurer; he is a beloved son, brother, partner, friend and a proud joint owner of Wakefield Crossfit. He is known for his adventurous spirit, his kindness, and his unwavering dedication to helping others.”
The page adds that now is “our turn to help him” and that time is of the essence to try and find Mr Paterson.
His partner said he has a "passion for Leeds United" and hopes that "in light of the upcoming play-off final", she can bring him home.
The family hope to raise £150,000 to cover the costs of searches on the mountain.
Vinayak Malla, an International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations (IFMGA) guide climbing Everest on the same day as the missing pair, posted on Instagram that reaching the summit "felt different than my previous experiences".
She said: "After summiting, we crossed the Hillary Step, traffic was moving slowly then suddenly a cornice collapsed a few metres ahead of us. There was also a cornice under us.
"As the cornice collapsed, four climbers nearly perished yet were clipped onto the rope and self-rescued.
"Sadly, two climbers are still missing. We tried to traverse yet it was impossible due to the traffic on the fixed line."
Sky News reports that the founder of 8K Expeditions, a guiding company that both men used, noted that they had searched for the pair after they "heroically" reached the peak of Everest at 4.40am (11.55pm in the UK).
Lakpa Sherpa added, however: "Despite exhaustive search efforts, we regret to confirm that Daniel and Pastenji were unable to be recovered."
