Burmese tycoon Tay Za joins search for missing climbers in Kachin state

Tay Za (pictired right), billionaire mountain climbing enthusiast and arms dealer (Credit Facebook)

Burmese billionaire tycoon Tay Za is leading the search and rescue effort to find two Burmese climbers who appear to have lost their way somewhere on Hkakabo Razi, in northern Kachin state near Putao, AFP reported on Wednesday.

The climbers Aung Myint Myat and Wai Yan Min Thu, were part of a group of 8 Burmese climbers attempting to make the first successful climb of Hkakabo Razi since 1996 when Japan's Takashi Ozaki and Nyima Gyaltsen (aka "Aung Tse"), were the first ever to scale the summit.

According to their fellow team members Aung Myint Myat and Wai Yan Min Thu were the only ones from the original group who made it to the top on August 31. Shortly after reaching the summit their colleagues lost contact with the pair. The other climbers have already returned safely down the mountain.

According to DVB Tay Za, who remains on a US blacklist for his long standing ties to Burma's previous military regime and alleged weapon's dealing, funded the climb. Last year also funded a group of mostly American climbers who scaled mount Kachin state's other tallest mountain Gamlang-Razi.

Tay Za was himself stranded on Fukan Razi, another mountain in northern Kachin state in February 2011, when conditions forced his helicopter to land on the mountain. Tay Za and his crew were ultimately rescued after being stuck on the mountain for three days and enduring very cold temperatures. At the time of his rescue the government which was led by his close ally General Than Shwe at the time devoted a significant amount of resources into finding and assisting with Tay Za's rescue.

Tay Za already has extensive business interests in Putao district, a very mountainous area known to be rich in natural resources including timber and minerals. The Irrawaddy magazine reported in September of last year that Tay Za was recently granted a 100,000 acre (40,000 hectare) logging concession in Putao district by government authorities. The new logging concession enables Tay Za to harvest a long stretch of pristine teak forest, which until recently had been left largely left untouched. Tay Za is also known to have extensive mining interests in Putao district and firm's under his control have applied for permits to mine for gold and other minerals in the area.

During a ceremony in Naypyidaw in January 2013, representatives of two firms owned by Tay Za, Air Bagan and Asia Green Development Bank Limited, made a joint 70 Million Kyat (US $82,000) donation to support Burma army troops taking part in offensives against Kachin Independence Army forces. The donation which came in the form a giant check was quickly denounced by Kachin civil society groups and Kachin exiles including the Kachin National Organization (KNO), who hold Tay Za responsible for encouraging the military to engage in a brutal and bloody conflict that has left more than 100,000 civilians internally displaced.