Winter Summit Ends in Tragedy: Phurba Ongel Sherpa Dies, Iranian Climber Missing
| Event date | 22 January 2026 (summit) and the descent that followed |
|---|---|
| Location | Above Camp IV (~7,400 m) and near Camp III |
| Type | Climbing accident; missing persons |
| Deaths | 1 (Phurba Ongel Sherpa) |
| Missing | 1 (Abolfazl Gozali, Iran) |
| Verification | Verified |
| Status | Search suspended |
On 22 January 2026, four climbers reached the summit of Makalu in winter: Sanu Sherpa, Phurba Ongel Sherpa, Lakpa Rinji Sherpa and their Iranian client Abolfazl Gozali. It was only the second winter ascent of the mountain and the first by a commercially guided team.
The descent went badly wrong. Phurba Ongel Sherpa, an experienced high-altitude guide and the younger brother of expedition leader Sanu Sherpa, fell to his death above Camp IV at about 7,400 metres. Gozali disappeared during the descent near Camp III and has not been found. Lakpa Rinji Sherpa suffered frostbite. A search team reached Camp IV but found nothing, and attempts to recover Phurba’s body were abandoned in extreme cold and high winds.
Sanu Sherpa, who has more than 40 summits of 8,000-metre peaks, lost both his brother and a former client on the same climb. Later reporting noted that Gozali had no rescue insurance, one of several issues the case raised about the growth of guided winter expeditions.
Sources
- Everest Chronicle — "Winter expedition on Makalu concludes in tragedy"
- Explorersweb — "Tragedy on Makalu: Phurba Ongel Sherpa Dies, Iranian Client Missing"
- Explorersweb — "Winter Makalu: Sanu Sherpa Injured, Missing Client Had No Insurance"
Last reviewed 29 September 2026. Written in Merolog’s own words from the sources listed; where sources disagree, each figure is attributed rather than merged. Spotted an error or a newer figure? Leave a comment on this entry.