THE wife of legendary climber Noel Hanna who died this week after climbing the world’s tenth highest mountain has arrived in Kathmandu to bring his body home to Ireland.
The climber from Dromara in Co. Down reached the 8,091 metre-high summit of Annapurna in west Nepal on Monday, April 17 before tragedy befell his expedition.
After returning to base camp, he died overnight.
In a statement made yesterday, his wife Lynne Hanna confirmed that she had reached Kathmandu, so she could accompany his body home.
“I have arrived in Kathmandu to bring Noel home,” she said.
“He passed away at Camp 4 on Annapurna after a successful summit,” she confirmed.
“He returned to the tent took some hot soup and fell asleep never to awaken again.
“No drama, no big story,” she added. “It was his time to go, and he died in the Himalayas, what better place for my Mountain Man. Sleep well Noel.”
Mr Hanna, a seasoned climber who had reached the Mount Everest summit 10 times during his lengthy career, is expected to be laid to rest in Dromora.