The search for Hungary’s most successful mountaineer of all time, Zsolt Erőss and his companion, Péter Kiss was stopped after the two disappeared at 8,000 metres while descending from Kanchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world on the boundary between Nepal and India.

Erőss and Kiss ascended the peak on Monday, but failed to reach the 7600-metre base camp on their way back. The sherpas sent to find the mountaineers in a rescue attempt were unable to find them and the search was halted on Wednesday. The expedition’s spokesperson, Szabolcs Vincze informed Hungarian public media yesterday that there remained little hope they were still alive.

Erőss gained international recognition in 2002 for being the first Hungarian citizen to climb the world’s highest mountain, Mount Everest. In early 2010, he was hit by a snow slide in the Slovakian High Tatras and his lower right leg had to be amputated. Since then, however, he has also climbed the Lhotse, the fourth highest peak of the Himalayas, despite his disability. His last successful ascent of Kanchenjunga formed part of an effort to scale all 14 of the Earth's highest mountains of over 8,000 metres above sea level.

The Hungarian Ministry of Human Resources, which provided significant financial support to the ‘Hungarians on peaks over 8000 metres’ initiative, expressed its profound sadness at the unfortunate outcome of the expedition.

(Ministry of Human Resources)