PATHANAMTHITTA: Sheikh Hassan Khan, a famous mountaineer hailing from Pathanamthitta, is reportedly stranded on Mount Denali, North America’s highest peak, due to severe storms and harsh weather conditions.
Hassan embarked on the Denali expedition with a fellow climber from Tamil Nadu, aiming to raise the national flag in tribute to the Indian Army’s Operation Sindoor.
However, adverse conditions, including strong winds, have delayed their progress, and they got stuck at Camp 5 of Mount Denali.
His desperate message, shared on Twitter by a user, called for prayers and urgent intervention.
“I am on an expedition to Mount Denali, the highest peak in North America. We are stuck in a severe storm at 17,000 feet with less food and water to survive. Only God can help us now. Please ask all to pray,” the message read. Responding swiftly, BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar took to Twitter, tagging External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and the Indian Embassy in Washington DC, for immediate assistance.
“I’ve alerted @DrSJaishankar and his team. I am also tagging @IndianEmbassyUS to please help. Stay Safe,” tweeted Chandrasekhar.
This development added momentum to ongoing appeals from Kerala’s political leadership, including deputy speaker Chittayam Gopakumar and MP Anto Antony, urging both state and central authorities to expedite rescue efforts.
Gopakumar has called on Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to issue official directions to expedite assistance for Hassan.
Anto Antony, Member of Parliament, has also appealed to Union Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar to intervene and ensure all possible assistance for Hassan.
According to the family, Hassan last contacted his family on June 10, informing them about his mission. Since then, no updates have reached us, said his mother J Shahida, who expressed her deep concern over the lack of communication.
Speaking to the media, Shahida said, “He called us on June 10 and told us about the expedition. We haven’t heard from him since. We are praying for his safety.” Hassan, who works as an assistant section officer in the Finance Department at the Kerala Secretariat, has an impressive mountaineering record. He conquered Mount Everest in 2022 and previously scaled Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa, Mount Vinson in Antarctica, and Denali in North America.