Pilots in continous operation

All climbers from the high camps on Mount Everest are safe. In the morning the last 17 climbers, who had been stranded at Camp 1 at 6,100 meters, nine Sherpas and eight foreigners, were flown down to the valley by helicopter. An official of the Nepalese Tourism Ministry said, more than 200 climbers had been rescued on Everest. It was the most extensive rescue operation in the history of high altitude mountaineering. According to department reports, at least 19 climbers, including five foreign nationals, have been confirmed dead in two avalanches. It seems that this figure also includes three Sherpas who reportedly died in the Khumbu Icefall during an aftershock on Sunday.

Messner: “Two-class rescue”

Reinhold Messner

Discussions were caused bay a statement of climbing legend Reinhold Messner. The 70-year-old South Tyrolean sees a two-class rescue in Nepal. “It’s cynical that there is such a hype about the climbers on Mount Everest, who can buy this climb for 80,000 to 100,000 dollars”, Messner said in a German radio interview. There were enough doctors and food on Everest, Messner added. Furthermore the mountaineers could fly out by helicopter. Elsewhere, the aid was needed more urgent: “A much bigger disaster happened in the Kathmandu Valley and in the canyons around the capital.”

That’s true, of course, but in contrast to this area, helicopter rescue on Everest has been established for several years. It just runs like clockwork. Furthermore, not all climbers who were rescued were rich men or women from abroad, but also less well-off Sherpas – many of them injured. Any rescue of a person, whether with a big or small budget, is good news. And I’m sure that the helicopter rescue pilots now fly on to other regions in order to help. My thanks and respect to all these pilots who were deployed tirelessly – and to all the others who lend their helping hands during the rescue.

German operator Amical abandons expeditions in Tibet

In the Chinese Base Camp on the Tibetan north side of Everest the discussions between Chinese officials and expedition leaders continue. An end of all expeditions is still possible. The Chinese government fears further aftershocks. The office of German expedition operator Amical alpin informed me, that its Everest expedition in Tibet was abandoned. Expedition leader Dominik Mueller wants to stay at base camp for the present and then accompany the Sherpas of his team back to Kathmandu. Amical also stopped his Cho Oyu expedition referring to an order of the Chinese government.