Noel Hanna: ​Tributes paid to one of world's greatest mountaineers after he died 'doing what he loved best'

His death occurred on Monday night at the high camp of the 8,091-metre mountain, according to Thaneswar Guragai of Kathmandu-based Seven Summit Treks.

His body was carried down the mountain and taken to the Nepalese capital Kathmandu, Mr Guragai said.

Yubaraj Khatiwada, an official of the Department of Tourism, said the circumstances of Mr Hanna’s death were unclear.

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said he was "privileged” to have spent time chatting with Noel.

He said: "I had the privilege of meeting Noel and hearing about his mountain-climbing exploits, including his conquest of Everest.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and his fellow mountaineers at this sad time."

Noel’s wife Lynne is a fellow climber and in 2016 they became the first married couple to summit Mount Everest from both the Nepal south side and the Tibet north side of the mountain.

The couple had most recently been living in Canada, but paid regular visits to Northern Ireland.

Fellow mountaineer Pat Falvey told RTE: "[Noel] was one of the most amazing climbers, not in Ireland alone but in the world.

"His love and passion was about climbing big mountains. It was, as a friend of mine once quoted, it was his cathedral – it was where he went to pray."

Mountaineering Ireland chairperson David Pollard said: “In 2021 Noel Hanna was the recipient of Mountaineering Ireland’s Lynam Medal in recognition of his remarkable accomplishments in mountaineering.

“Noel's positivity, enthusiasm and can-do attitude were infectious and his loss will be felt across the mountaineering community. May he rest in peace.”

Mourne Mountains Adventures, a group who take people on guided hikes in the region, said they were “very saddened” to learn of the death of the great adventurer who had become the first person from Ireland to scale K2 and had climbed to the summit of Everest an astonishing 10 times.

They said: "There is some peace in that he spent his last moments doing what he loved best, such a great man and one of Northern Ireland’s finest mountaineers.”

Duke of Edinburgh Northern Ireland said: “Noel and his wife Lynne presented Gold Awards for DofE on a number of occasions and in 2012 Noel took a DofE flag to the top of Everest.

"Noel’s down to earth manner and incredible expertise were an inspiration to everyone he met.”

Alison Irwin, who works for Nepal Ireland Society and Ireland-Nepal Chamber of Commerce, said Noel’s death was “devastating news for the Irish climbing community”.

She said: “I am shocked and deeply saddened by the news that my friend, Noel Hanna passed [on Monday] night at Camp IV on Annapurna having previously summited earlier in the day.

"He was an incredibly strong and seemingly invincible climber … a real life mountain hero who came to the aid of many over the course of his climbing career.“I was delighted for him when I heard he had summited but knew he was only halfway, still having the descent to contend with, however I never dreamed I would be reading this report.

She added: “Noel was a true gentleman and the world will be a lesser place without him.”

Dan McFarland, head coach at Ulster Rugby, said that Noel was "a great inspiration” to his team and offered his condolences to Noel’s family.

Lagan Valley MLA Sorcha Eastwood said that news of the renowned athlete and adventurer’s death was “desperately sad”.

She said: “My thoughts and prayers are with the entire Hanna family circle at this difficult time, the community of Dromara who have lost a very special son and the mountaineering community whom he so loved.”

Another record-holding climber – Indian woman climber Baljeet Kaur – who had gone missing after reaching the summit of Annapurna was later found alive.