Search for Muhammad Hawari to continue next year, says Mount Everest sherpa

Mount Everest sherpas are committed to continuing the search for Muhammad Hawari Hashim, the Malaysian climber who went missing on May 19, 2023. The search will resume in the upcoming climbing season, starting in April and lasting until May, next year.

Nivesh Karki, a representative from a company in Nepal, has come to Malaysia to meet with Muhammad Hawari’s mother, Che Tom Hassan, to assure her that they will continue the search. He emphasized that it is their duty to find her son and that they consider him part of their family.

“We will continue the search for Muhammad Hawari because he was part of our family. For us, the search mission, although challenging, is not impossible because there are instances where bodies of climbers who had been missing since 1942 were found intact in 2019.

“We just need to look for any signs or traces left by the climber. Our company is also offering a reward to mountain guides who successfully locate Muhammad Hawari,” he told reporters in George Town on Friday (Dec 15).

Nivesh, the director of Pioneer Adventure, and a freelance photographer, Bidhan Shrestha, were flown from Nepal by Muhammad Hawari’s employer, the Penang State Museum Board. The board hosted the Ascent: Journey with The Malaysian Everest Expedition 2023 programme at the State Art Gallery on Friday.

The event was attended by Che Tom, Muhammad Hawari’s wife Saffiyah Tang Xie Lie, and their children Hana Sakeena, 4 and Haris Sufian, 2. Nivesh and Bidhan shared their experiences in the search mission with the guests, which were translated to Malay by an interpreter and conveyed using sign language for Saffiyah and the children, who are also deaf.

Che Tom expressed her relief at Nivesh’s assurance, conveying her longing to see her son’s remains. She mentioned that she looks at the orange jacket that Muhammad Hawari wore during the Everest expedition every day to cope with the feeling of longing for her son.

“The jacket was brought home from Nepal and Hawari’s wife hangs it at home. When I look at it, I feel as if I see Hawari wearing it,” she said.

Saffiyah, who works as a part-time clerk at the Social Welfare Department in Seberang Perai Utara, mentioned that Hana Sakeena cries every night as she misses her father and wonders why he is not home.

“It is time for us to move on with our life. We hope that his remains can be found…at least when the body is found, she will know that her father has passed away,” she added.

Muhammad Hawari went missing after leaving the Fourth Camp at 8,000 metres above sea level. It was reported that a day before, he managed to conquer the world’s highest peak.

The search and rescue mission for Muhammad Hawari was forced to continue next year because the special search permit using drones and aerial search approved by Nepali authorities had expired. – Bernama