Tributes paid to top Irish climber Noel Hanna after he dies while descending from Nepal mountain

TRIBUTES are being paid to a top climber after he died while coming down from one of the world's highest mountains yesterday.

Noel Hanna, from Co Down, passed away on Mount Annapurna in Nepal.

Sharing the devastating news, chairman at Seven Summit Treks Mingma Sherpa said Noel “breathed his last in Camp IV last night”.

Local reports say efforts are ongoing to bring the 54-year-old’s body back to base camp.

Mount Annapurna in Nepal is the 10th highest mountain in the world.

The former policeman had travelled the globe to scale some of the highest mountains.

He grew up trekking the Mournes and went on to win fans who followed his adventures around the world.

Mourne Mountain Adventures said Noel was one of Northern Ireland's "finest mountaineers".

They said on Facebook: "Very saddened to hear of the passing of Noel Hanna this morning, local to the Mournes Noel was the first person from Ireland to successfully climb K2, and astonishingly he climbed the summit of Everest 10 times.

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

"I had the pleasure of interviewing Noel on two occasions, he will be greatly missed by all that knew him.

"My condolences go out to his wife Lunn and the rest of his family, RIP Noel."

A number of people commented under the post to pay tribute and send their condolences to his heartbroken family.

One said: "Such sad news! Noel was an exceptional man, RIP and sending love to Lynn."

Another added: "Real Ambassador for our wee country. True Mountain man."

Someone else wrote: "Very sad news. Thinking of all the family."

Organisers said Indian climber Baljeet Kaur went missing near Camp IV while descending the summit point yesterday.

And Anurag Maloo, also from India, passed away over the weekend after falling 6,000m into a crevasse while coming back down the mountain.

In 2016 South Africa-based Noel and his wife became the first married couple to summit Everest from both both the north and south approaches.

Two years ago he summed up the treacherous conditions he faced when he told how a climber fell 2,000m to his death just ten ft from him.

He told the Down Recorder that the incident happened during a climb in the Himalayas.

He said: “It happened about one and a half hours into a 12 hour trek down. You have no other option but to continue.”