NELLORE: Thiryt-two-year-old mountaineer Malli Mastan Babu of Gandhi Girijanasangam village in Sangam mandal, who went to Chile for mountaineering 7 days back, is reported missing.
It is learnt that the Chile government which had confirmed the matter from his fellow mountaineers, informed the same to the Indian Embassy a couple of days back.
According to sources, Babu, who had set Guinness World Record in mountaineering by climbing huge mountains in seven continents in 2006, went to Chile a week back for mountaineering in the country after obtaining permission from the Chile government and that he was a member of a 5-man crew.
It is said that while he was climbing a mountain with the help of a rope, suddenly he slipped and fell out of sight. At that time, there was heavy downpour in the area. The remaining four members, who were climbing the mountain 25 metres behind Babu, abandoned the venture and immediately alerted the Chile government, which in turn informed the matter to the Indian Embassy a couple of days back.
Meanwhile, family members of the victim who came to know about the news through his associates, submitted a memorandum to Union Urban Development minister M Venkaiah Naidu during his visit to Chittoor district on Saturday.
They also sent another memorandum to External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj seeking her help for tracing the whereabouts Babu.
However, Babu’s sister Dorasanamma exuded hope that her brother would come back safely and urged the Indian embassy in Chile and the Union government to take necessary steps in this regard.