A 33 year old Google executive and engineer, Dan Fredinburg, was killed by an avalanche on Mount Everest. The avalanche hit the Himalayan mountain range following the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Nepal on Saturday.
It was the worst earthquake in Nepal for over 80 years. More than 1300 people have been reported dead so far, with the numbers rising. Meanwhile the avalanche has claimed 20 lives with dozens more injured and unreported numbers buried under the snow.
Mr Fredinburg was an adventurer at heart, both in his work at Google and as a mountaineer. He was reported dead by his younger sister following the accident.
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USA Today reports:
On his Twitter and Instagram accounts, a user identifying herself as his younger sister Megan said, “I regret to inform all who loved him that during the avalanche on Everest early this morning our Dan suffered from a major head injury and didn’t make it.”
Separately, British mountaineering company Jagged Globe said on its website Saturday that “it is with the greatest sorrow that we report the death of one of our Everest team members, Daniel Fredinburg.”
At least 10 people were killed when the avalanche hit Mount Everest. Overall, more than 1,400 people were killed in the quake.
Jagged Globe said two other team members have non-life threatening injuries as a result of the avalanche that struck the mountain in the wake of the earthquake. All its Sherpas and the rest of its team members were uninjured, the company said.
The climbers’ deaths follow the severe storms and avalanches that resulted in the deaths of about 40 people late last year, sending shockwaves through the extreme-trekking community. A little more than a year ago last April, 16 Sherpas were killed on the mountain in the deadliest avalanche in Everest’s history.
Instagram | @danfredinburg
This is Dans little sister Megan. I regret to inform all who loved him that during the avalanche on Everest early this morning our Dan suffered from a major head injury and didn’t make it. We appreciate all of the love that has been sent our way thus far and know his soul and his spirit will live on in so many of us. All our love and thanks to those who shared this life with our favorite hilarious strong willed man. He was and is everything to us. Thank you.
