Hyderabad: A 10-member team led by Argentinian mountaineer Hernan Augusto began ascending the Tres Cruces on Friday to bring back the mortal remains of Malli Mastan Babu.
The team will divide into units and work in tandem from the base camp and on site to help return the body of the Nellore mountaineer to his birthplace.
If everything goes as planned, Mastan will be brought back for his family and friends to bid a final farewell by Thursday next week.
Mr Satyam Bheemirasetti, who helped coordinate the rescue attempt and is now helping with the operations from Hyderabad to bring the mountaineer’s body back, said that the original plan to airlift the body could not be executed as the required equipment to do so at a height of 5,900 metres could not be procured.
“So it’s being done manually. Hernan is leading the team and the attempt began on Friday. The process was stalled over the last couple of days due to bad weather. The weather is clear again and if all goes according to plan, the body should reach the base camp by Sunday, and Nellore by Thursday.” The team has all the necessary equipment to bring back the remains.
The body will be flown from the base camp to Chennai from where it will be transported to Nellore. Friends and followers of Mastan will be travelling to Chennai and Nellore to pay their respects to the man who inspired thousands to follow their passion.
