Shehbaz Butt: A doctor who helped injured guides on Mount Everest dies in a small plane crash near Toronto

Shehbaz Butt, a Toronto-area physician known for his attempts to climb to the highest peaks in the world, died in a mishap. ;plane.

The 46-year-old father of four, who worked as an anesthetist, was flying a small plane that descended near the Buttonville Municipal Airport on Thursday night

. A friend, Joe Raftis, confirmed that Dr. Butt was the pilot of the plane. "He was quite the adventurer … a really nice person.I'm just lucky to have met him," said Mr. Raftis.

Dr. Butt's death was also announced in an email from staff at his workplace, Markham Stouffville Hospital.

"It's a tragic news to learn." the loss of a long-time MSH doctor.We know that he will miss us a lot, "said the email

.In the past eight years, Dr. Butt has attempted to The attempt to climb Mount Everest in April 2014 coincided with an avalanche that killed 16 Sherpas.Calling the climb, he instead helped to heal the wounded guides. 19659004] Mr. Raftis stated that Dr. Butt had taken flying lessons and that he had his own hangar and was own hangar at suburban residence

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada sent a team of investigators to the scene. The spokesman said that a small plane had just left a Buttonville runway on Thursday night when the pilot reported by radio that he was having problems and that he had turned right toward the ### 39 airport. The nose of the plane dropped and crashed southwest of the airport

. The plane, a Bellanca 8KCAB from 1980, a two-seat single engine plane commonly known as Super Decathlon, belonged to Dr. Butt, according to Transport Canada.

Dr. Butt, who spoke English, Punjabi and Urdu, was born in Pakistan.

He was one of four children raised by a single mother, Raftis said, adding that they were all encouraged in their studies, the other siblings becoming dentists, pharmacists and computer scientists.

After the arrival of the family in Canada, he attended the East Toronto High School, graduated from the University of Ottawa in 1997 and then followed postgraduate training in anesthesiology at the University. from Toronto. A year after completing his residency, he joined the Markham Stouffville Hospital in 2003.

Even when he was still in medical school, he was an outdoor person. He told Mr. Raftis that he would go camping and that he would study at night with his laptop in his tent.

According to a blog for his Everest Expedition, Dr. Butt is interested in climbing after being interviewed with a cancer patient. who had returned from the ascent of Kilimanjaro

He decided to climb the highest peak of each continent. In 2010, he reached the summit of Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. The following year, he was in Russia, climbing Mount Elbrus, followed by Mount Puncak Jaya in Indonesia in 2012 and Mount Denali in Alaska in 2013.

He was not a fiery enthusiast of thrills. In 2011, Dr. Butt was three-quarters of Mount Aconcagua in the Andes, but turned around because of high winds. He came back in 2016 and reached the summit with his wife, Ramona, and Mr. Raftis

The two peaks that he did not reach were the Everest and Mount Vinson Massif. in Antarctica.

Butt and Mr. Raftis, owner of Hiker's Sports Store in Haven Oakville, met thanks to their mutual love for the outdoors.

When they attempted their climb in 2014, Dr. Butt also used the trip to raise money.

They were at the southern base camp, getting used to high altitude when around 6:50 they heard the sound of an avalanche

Rescue helicopters started stealing Sherpas dead and wounded. Dr. Butt and six other climbers who were also doctors helped to treat the wounded so that they could be flown to a hospital in Kathmandu.

He helped stabilize a man left unconscious by head trauma. He treated one guide for one broken leg and another with broken ribs and kidney injuries.

"This has been a very tragic and moving experience … I have the impression of having left a little of me there"

M. Raftis said Dr. Butt had talked about his return to Everest next year.