Famous Bulgarian mountaineer Boyan Petrov gone missing on Shishapangma

Boyan Petrov (45), a mountaineer, zoologist, researcher, author has been a part of more than 25 research mountaineering expeditions either in the capacity of a leader or a team member. He planned to summit Shishapangma and Everest from Tibet side this spring. Boyan was very optimistic about achieving success this spring season. "Hope that I will survive without losses this spring...more summits are planned till october.", Boyan told DW on 9th April, 2018.

Boyan went to the peak of Shishapangma on 29th April. On 3rd May, from the Base Camp, he was seen through the telescope at the level of Camp-3. On 5th May, a Ukrainian and three Sherpa climbers found Boyan's semi-open tent with his sleeping bag, full of snow in Camp-3. He certainly made an attempt to get to the top. Boyan has been missing for days now, somewhere along the slope of Shishapangma.

Hungarian climber David Klein then informed Boyan's wife about the situation and then the liaison officer. "...although the situation is really very worrying, but at this point, no definitive conclusion can yet be drawn. We know a number of cases (eg Messner Nanga Parbat) when the climber came up with significant delays, possibly descending on other routes. This can not be excluded.", were David's concluding words. Boyan Petrov's wife confirmed his absence on her facebook page and she is hopeful of a rescue and search operation commencing soon. "They'll be looking for him tomorrow. I have a constant contact with them on the satellite phone. In the mountains, people become more than a family, and I know they'll do everything in their power that this story ends well.", she posted on her facebook page.

Boyan Petrov was one of the finest Bulgarian mountaineers climbing over 10 eight-thousanders without oxygen.

Some of His Notable Eight-thousanders Expeditions:

2001 - Broad Peak (8051m) in Summer:
A 15 members Bulgarian National team, led by Nikolay Petkov via normal route, Boyan reached up to 7300m.

2005 - K2 (8611m) in Summer:
A 7 members Polish-Bulgarian team, led by Anna Czerwinska via Abruzzi Spur, Boyan reached up to 8200m.

2009 - Gasherbrum I (8080m) in Summer:
A 4 members Bulgarian team, led by Nikolay Petkov via normal route. Boyan summited with Doychin Boyanov, Nikolay Petkov, Nikolay Vulkov without supplemental oxygen. It was the first Bulgarian summit on Gasherbrum I.

2009 - Gasherbrum II (8035m) in Summer:
Boyan attempted solo on the mountain and reached up to 8030m via normal route.

2014 - Kangchenjunga (8586m) in Spring:
Boyan summited without supplemental oxygen via SW Face. It was the first Bulgarian summit on Kangchenjunga.

2014 - Broad Peak (8051m) in Summer:
Boyan summited with Ivan Tomov without supplemental oxygen via normal route.

2014 - K2 (8611m) in Summer:
Boyan summited without supplemental oxygen via Abruzzi Spur. It was the first Bulgarian summit on K2.

2015 - Manaslu (8163m) in Autumn:
A 8 members International team named "Seven Summit Treks Manaslu Expedition 2015", led by Arnold Coster via NE Face. Boyan summited without supplemental oxygen. It was the first Bulgarian summit on Manaslu.

2016 - Annapurna (8091m) in Spring:
A 14 members International team named "Seven Summit Treks Annapurna Expedition 2016", led by Mario Vielmo via N Face. Boyan summited without supplemental oxygen.

2016 - Makalu (8485m) in Spring:
A 21 members International team named "Seven Summit Treks Makalu Expedition 2016", led by Ferran Latorre via Makalu La-NW Ridge. Boyan summited without supplemental oxygen.

2016 - Nanga Parbat (8126m) in Summer:
Boyan summited with Spaniard Ferran Latorre and Frenchman Hélias Millerioux without supplemental oxygen via Kinshofer route.

2017 - Gasherbrum II (8035m) in Summer:
Boyan summited without supplemental oxygen via normal route.

2017 - Dhaulagiri (8167m) in Autumn:
Boyan summited without supplemental oxygen via NE Face.

Photo Courtesy: Boyan Petrov