Melbourne mother of two Renu Fotedar was killed in the deadly avalanche triggered on Mount Everest by the magnitude-7.9 Nepal earthquake, the ABC has confirmed.
The 49-year-old was last seen at the Everest base camp, and since the earthquake, friends and family had taken to social media in a desperate attempt to find her.
Trekking company Dreamers Destination confirmed to the ABC that Ms Fotedar had been killed and the company was trying to return her body to Kathmandu.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been contacted for comment.
According to her social media profile, Ms Fotedar completed an MBA at the University of Wollongong before setting up a business in Melbourne in 2005.
She was born in Kashmere, in northern India, before she moved to Australia.
Her friend, Pooja Sharma, knew her through the Australian Kashmere community. She said her friend was an avid traveller.
“She died doing something she passionately wanted to do,” she said.
“She always wanted to travel a lot and go trekking.”
Earlier today, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said the Government held “grave fears” for an Australian citizen who was known to be on Everest during the earthquake.
While she could not provide any details about the Australian at the base camp, she said consular officials were working to confirm their identity.
“We have been able to confirm the safety of more than 850 Australians in the country,” she said.
“I do hold grave fears for the welfare of an Australian who was known to be at the Mount Everest base camp where a number of deaths have occurred.”
An avalanche was triggered on the mountain after the powerful earthquake struck Nepal on Saturday.
A magnitude-6.7 aftershock then hit the region shortly after, triggering more avalanches on Mount Everest.
Climber Jim Davidson said he felt the aftershock at Camp 1 on Everest.
“Just had our biggest aftershock yet here at C1 on Everest. Smaller than original quake but glacier shook & avalanches,” he tweeted.
At least 18 people who were staying at the Everest base camp have been confirmed dead as a result, making the event the deadliest disaster in Everest’s history.
It comes almost exactly a year after an avalanche killed 16 sherpa guides, forcing the season to be cancelled.
The official death toll from the earthquake stands at 3,218 and that figure is expected to rise.
Five hundred and fifty Australians are registered on the Smart Traveller website and Ms Bishop said DFAT had taken over 1,400 calls from family and friends of missing Australians.
Ms Bishop said a nine-person crisis response team was on its way to Nepal to establish the number of Australians in the country and help provide humanitarian assistance.
“They will assist in the safety and welfare of Australians who remain unaccounted for,” she said.
This article originally appeared online at the ABC.
Top Comments
*Kashmir
Yeah, seriously? Kashmere?