New Delhi: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has appealed to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for urgent assistance to rescue Shaikh Hassan Khan, a young mountaineer from Thiruvananthapuram, who is reportedly stranded at the 17,000 ft base camp of Mount Denali in Alaska.

In a letter to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Tharoor expressed grave concern over Khan's “precarious and life-threatening situation” and called for immediate coordination with US authorities to facilitate his safe evacuation.

Khan’s expedition to Denali is part of his broader initiative titled ‘Operation Sindoor’, aimed at promoting global peace and honouring the Indian armed forces, Tharoor noted in the letter.

Describing Khan as a “committed and courageous young Indian,” Tharoor praised his “exceptional determination, discipline, and a commitment to causes beyond personal achievement.”

Taking to X, the Thiruvananthapuram MP wrote, “Sadly the heroic young explorer is now stranded on Mount Denali. My urgent request for help from the Foreign Minister and our diplomats in the US.”

In another post, Tharoor celebrated Khan's achievements, stating, “This young man from my constituency, Shaikh Hassan Khan, became the first Keralite (and perhaps the first Indian) to climb the highest peaks of 7 continents on Earth (what he calls his '7 Summits Expedition'). He achieved this feat after climbing Mount Kosciusko, the highest peak in Australia, on 10th November 2024 at 3 pm. To celebrate this moment, he hoisted the Indian National Flag there, as he had on every other continent, including Antarctica (in pic).”

The mountaineer’s accomplishments include summiting Mount Everest, Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Denali, Mount Elbrus, Mount Vinson and Mount Aconcagua, in addition to Ojos del Salado, the highest active volcano in the world.

Tharoor added, “He says he undertook this '7 Summits Expedition' to spread awareness about climate change and to spread the message of world peace. I helped recommend him for a couple of visas; the rest is entirely his own extraordinary initiative. Well done, Shaikh Hassan! Your MP is proud of you. So should the rest of the country be!”

As Khan awaits rescue, efforts are underway to ensure his safe return from one of the most challenging terrains on the planet.