Shishapangma, at just over 8,000 metres (26,247 feet), is the world's 14th tallest peak. Two avalanches hit its slopes at elevations of 7,600 metres and 8,000 metres on Saturday, killing American climber Anna Gutu and Nepalese guide Mingmar Sherpa, Xinhua reported on Sunday. All climbing activity on Shishapangma was suspended because of the unstable snow conditions. Had one of the Pakistani climbers, Sirbaz Khan, reached the top of Shishapangma he would have become the first Pakistani to summit all 14 mountains over 8,000 metres. Among those who had previously died on Shishapangma was famed American climber Alex Lowe in 1999, also because of an avalanche.

---

Persons: Anna Gutu, Gina Marie Rzucidlo, Tenjen Sherpa, Norway's Kristin Harila, Sirbaz Khan, Shishapangma, Alex Lowe, David Bridges, Ryan Woo, Christian Schmollinger Organizations: Xinhua, Sherpa, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, American, Pakistan, United States, Britain, Romania, Albania, Italy, Japan, Xinhua, Nepal