Lafaille Missing, Feared Dead On Makalu

Top French mountaineer Jean Christophe Lafaille is missing in the Himalaya during a solo winter attempt on Makalu, 8485 metres.

Lafaille's team has reportedly given up hope of finding him alive after a helicopter sweeping the mountain spotted his tent but saw no signs of life. The assumption is that the climber would have signalled to the chopper were he able to.

Lafaille has already climbed 11 of the world's 14 8,000-metre peaks and has a remarkable record both in Europe and Asia, but climbing the Himalayan giants in winter is a massively difficult and dangerous undertaking because of the extreme cold and high winds.

Lafaille was operating without any support climbers and was in touch with his back-up team, including his wife, by satellite phone.

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