Shaikh Hasan Khan, a seasoned mountaineer from Kerala and an employee at the State Government Secretariat, is reportedly stranded on Mount Denali in Alaska following a severe snowstorm.
His last communication, sent on 10 June, revealed a desperate shortage of food and water and included a plea for urgent rescue.
Khan had embarked on a mission to hoist the Indian national flag atop North America’s highest peak in honour of the Indian Army’s Operation Sindoor. However, his expedition took a critical turn as extreme weather conditions struck the mountain, leaving him unable to descend.
In an Instagram video posted on 10 June from Talkeetna, Alaska — a key stop en route to Denali — Khan shared a poignant moment at a climbers’ memorial cemetery, which pays tribute to mountaineers who lost their lives on the peak, also known as Mount McKinley.
The video is now being widely circulated as the last visual record of his journey before all contact was lost.
A highly accomplished mountaineer, Khan had previously conquered Mount Everest and was attempting Denali as a symbolic salute to the Indian Army. His sudden disappearance has sparked concern across Kerala and among the wider mountaineering community.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has urgently appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and ensure Khan’s safe rescue.
In a letter to the Prime Minister, Vijayan wrote: “I request the Hon’ble Prime Minister to kindly intervene in the matter immediately and give necessary directions to the Indian Embassy in the United States of America to take up the matter with the authorities concerned, so that the person/s are rescued at the earliest.”
Officials are yet to confirm any updates on the rescue operation. With Denali’s notoriously harsh conditions and high altitude, the situation remains extremely critical. Efforts are now focused on coordinating with US rescue teams and ensuring diplomatic channels are activated to expedite any possible mission to locate and evacuate Khan.
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