Tributes paid to Irish climber who died on Nepalese mountain

By Gráinne Ní Aodha, PA

Tributes have been paid to a renowned climber from Co Down who died on a Nepalese mountain range.

Noel Hanna, 56, died on Monday while returning from Annapurna’s 8,091-metre summit, Thaneswar Guragai of Kathmandu-based Seven Summit Treks said.

The cause of death was not immediately known.

His body was carried down the mountain and taken to the Nepalese capital Kathmandu, Mr Guragai said.

Mr Hanna’s friend and fellow mountaineer Pat Falvy told RTÉ that details were scant, but it is believed that he died at base camp after returning from the mountain’s summit.

“I got a text in from my people in Kathmandu… which said that Noel had passed away,” he said.

Mr Hanna was an experienced climber, having reached the summit of Mount Everest 10 times and was the first person from the island of Ireland to successfully climb and descend from K2, the world’s second highest mountain.

He lived in Dromore in Co Down with his wife Lynne, who is also an experienced climber, and the two had scaled Everest together in 2016.

Mourne Mountain Adventures said it was “very saddened” to hear of the death of Mr Hanna and sent its condolences to his family and his wife.

“There is some peace in that he spent his last moments doing what he loved best, such a great man and one of Northern Ireland’s finest mountaineers,” it said.

DUP MLA for Antrim Paul Frew said on Twitter: “So sorry to hear of the death of Noel Hanna from Northern Ireland who had just become the 1st Irish climber to summit Annapurna.

“Noel was an absolute legend climbing K2, Manaslu, and Everest 10 times! My thoughts & prayers are with his family at this sad time.”