Bengal Woman Mountaineer Missing

KOLKATA: A young woman mountaineer, who scripted history by becoming the first female civilian from West Bengal to set foot on Mount Everest, has gone missing while on another expedition in the Himalayas.

Chhanda Gayen, 34, along with two Sherpas, had vanished on Monday after she and other members of her team conquered Kanchenjunga, the world’s third highest mountain, on Sunday.

It is feared that the intrepid adventurer from Howrah and the Sherpa duo were struck by an avalanche while attempting to scale Yalung Kang, one of the five peaks of Kanchenjunga.

Gayen, who was also a martial arts instructor, had reached Everest’s summit on May 18 last.