Missing Crown Heights Hikers Located

Many in Crown Heights and around the world are breathing a sigh of relief early Monday, as two Crown Heights residents who were hiking in the mountains in Nepal and were not heard from for many hours, were confirmed safe late Sunday night.

Danny Cole, a father of four from Crown Heights and Mendy Losh, originally from Crown Heights and recently a resident of Los Angeles, were hiking in the area when the earthquake hit.

At 1:45 am early Monday, Yitzi Cole, brother of Danny Cole, said in an email to COLlive, "BH I can confirm that they have made contact and that they are OK."


Cole said they are currently at the Everest Base Camp, waiting to be airlifted out to safety.

A few minutes later, Mendy Losh sent a text to his friend Zevi Steinhauser saying, "We are safe. We had no connection the last two days. Hope to get more connection in a few hours. Phone about to die and bad connection here."

Steinhauser was overjoyed to receive the text, having waited all day for word from his friends. "I had already decided that if I had not heard anything by Monday, I would get on a plane and travel there to try and find them," he told COLlive. "People were being unbelievably kind, offering financial assistance and other help to myself and the family for any travel rescue efforts."

The conditions are fine at the Base Camp, Steinhauser said, who has since received other communication from the hikers. They have shelter, enough food, and are in good shape.

The two were traveling with a Nepalese Sherpa guide, having flown into the town of Lukla, and were hiking from there to climb part of mount Everest. After the quake, they were unable to continue or travel back without assistance.