Ulster Rugby coach Dan McFarland has joined the tributes to a Co Down mountaineer who has died in Nepal.
According to expedition organisers, Noel Hanna, from Dromara, died at Camp IV after returning from the Mount Annapurna summit point on Monday night, April 17.
Tributes have been paid to the 10-time Everest summiteer since news of his death was reported. On Monday, he became the first climber from the island of Ireland to summit Mount Annapurna (8,091m).
Read more: NI climber reported to have died on Nepal expedition
Ulster coach McFarland posted a brief tribute on Twitter, saying: "Very sad to hear of Noel's passing. Noel was a great inspiration to this team. All our thoughts are with Lynne and Noel's family."
Ulster Rugby added: "Our thoughts are with Noel's family and friends at this sad time."
Posting on Facebook, Mourne Mountain Adventures said: "Very saddened to hear of the passing of Noel Hanna this morning, local to the Mournes Noel was the first person from Ireland to successfully climb K2, and astonishingly he climbed the summit of Everest 10 times.
"There is some peace in that he spent his last moments doing what he loved best, such a great man and one of N.Ireland’s (sic) finest Mountaineers.
"I had the pleasure of interviewing Noel on two occasions, he will be greatly missed by all that knew him.
"My condolences go out to his wife Lynne and the rest of his family, RIP Noel."
SDLP Councillor Laura Devlin said: "This is awful news to wake to. Noel was an absolute gentleman who I first met away back during my Burrendale Gym days.
"To say he was an athlete was an understatement. He was an incredible climber who climbed Everest many many times.
"Noel was such an interesting person with so much life experience and always up for a chat.
"This news is devastating. I am thinking of Lynne and all their family and friends."
Record-holding Indian climber Baljeet Kaur also went missing near Camp IV while descending from the summit point, while she was presumed dead, she has been reportedly found alive this morning.
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