Iñaki Ochoa de Olza

Iñaki Ochoa de Olza (May 29, 1967 Pamplona, Spain - May 23, 2008 Annapurna, Nepal) was a Spanish mountaineer, alpinist and climber. Ochoa de Olza had taken part in over thirty separate climbing expeditions in the Himalaya Mountains over the course of his career. cite news |first=Luke|last=Bauer|title=Inaki Ochoa de Olza Dies on Annapurna
url=http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web08s/newswire-ochoa-annapurna|work= Alpinist |publisher= |date=2008-05-23 |accessdate=2008-06-29] His records included climbing 12 of 14 of the world's tallest moutains without the aid of oxygen or oxygen tanks. cite news |first=|last=|title=Spanish climber Inaki Ochoa de Olza dies after attempt on Annapurna
url=http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/05/23/europe/EU-GEN-Spain-Mountaineer-Dies.php|work= Associated Press |publisher= International Herald Tribune|date=2008-05-23 |accessdate=2008-06-29] Ochoa went on record as saying that he did not believe in using oxygen to climb moutains saying, "If you use oxygen, you are not an alpinist, you are more of an astronaut or a scuba diver."

Iñaki Ochoa de Olza was born in Pamplona, Spain, on May 29, 1967. He completed his first climb over 8,000 meters when he ascended to the peak of Kangchenjunga at the age of 22. He also worked as a high altitude guide and cameraman. His most recent achievements included a solo climb on a new route on Shishapangma in 2005.

Ochoa de Olza was killed in 2008 while attempting to climb the 8,091-meter (26,545 ft) Nepalese mountain, Annapurna. Ochoa was trying to climb to the peak of Annapurna with his climbing partner, Romanian alpinist Horia Colibăşanu. They were forced to halt their climb near the summit of the mountain because of dangerous weather conditions near the peak. Ochoa had also suffered severe frostbite to his hands, which also forced the duo to halt the climb. Upon their descent back down moutain, Ochoa collapsed and suffered a seizure near Annapurna's Camp 4 base camp. He and his partner were unable to descend any further due to Ochoa's sudden illness and incapacitation. Ochoa suffered from lung and brain damage due to the seizure. His condition was further complicated by pulmonary edema.

Attempts were made to save Ochoa's life. Swiss climber Ueli Steck, who had abandoned his own attempt with Simon Anthamatten to climb Annapurna's south face due to avalanche threat the previous week, climbed to Ochoa's position to administer emergency medical aid. Doctors from the Hospital of Navarre also tried to help Ochoa remotely from Spain. However, heavy snow conditions and the high altitude made all rescue attempts impossible. (Rescues above 7400 meters are usually impossible because helicopters cannot fly that high and few people are able to handle the altitude.) Steck and Colibasanu were left to administer first aid to Ochoa.

Iñaki Ochoa de Olza died on May 23, 2008, at 6:45 a.m. GMT in an emergency tent on Annapurna, where he had been trapped in a semiconscious and immobile state for five days. He died from a suspected pulmonary edema, as well as a brain lesion, according to the Spanish newspaper, Diario de Navarra. He was forty years old.

Notable mountain ascensions

#Cho Oyu (8.201 m): in 1993.
#Gasherbrum I (8.068 m): in 1996.
#Gasherbrum II (8.035 m): in 1996.
#Lhotse (8.516 m): in 1999.
#Everest (8.848 m): in 2001.
#Nanga Parbat (8.125 m): in 2003.
#Broad Peak (8.046 m): in 2003.
#Makalu (8.463 m): in 2004.
#K2 (8.611 m): in 2004.
#Manaslu (8.163 m): in 2006.
#Shisha Pangma (8.027 m): in 2006.
#Dhaulagiri (8.167 m): in 2007.

References