3 dead, 2 missing after weekend jam on Everest
Source: Agencies |
May 22, 2012, Tuesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THREE climbers died and two others were missing while descending from the summit of Mount Qomolangma, also known as Mount Everest - a toll that raised concerns about overcrowding in the "death zone" at the top of the world's tallest peak.
The deadly weekend unfolded as an estimated 150 climbers tried to reach the top on Friday and Saturday as they rushed to use a brief window of good weather in an otherwise troubled climbing season. Many had been waiting at a staging camp for several days for their chance to head to the summit.
The three climbers who died on Saturday were believed to have suffered exhaustion and altitude sickness, Nepali mountaineering official Gyanendra Shrestha said. Officials were still gathering details from descending climbers, he said.
The victims were identified as German doctor Eberhard Schaaf, Nepal-born Canadian Shriya Shah, and South Korean mountaineer Song Won-bin. The missing climbers are a Chinese national and his Nepalese Sherpa guide. "There was a traffic jam on the mountain on Saturday. Climbers were still heading to the summit as late as 2:30pm, which is quite dangerous," Shrestha said.
Climbers normally are advised not to try for the summit after 11am. The area above the last camp at the South Col is nicknamed the "death zone" because of the steep icy slope, treacherous conditions and low oxygen level.
"With the traffic jam, climbers had a longer wait for their chance to go up the trail and spent too much time at higher altitude. Many of them are believed to be carrying a limited amount of oxygen, not anticipating the extra time spent," Shrestha revealed.
The climbing season runs from late March to the first week in June, and the Nepalese government places no limits on how many climbers can be on the 8,850-meter mountain. The season's first clear conditions were on Friday and Saturday, but that window already was closing by Saturday afternoon with a windstorm at higher altitudes, Shrestha said.
The deadly weekend unfolded as an estimated 150 climbers tried to reach the top on Friday and Saturday as they rushed to use a brief window of good weather in an otherwise troubled climbing season. Many had been waiting at a staging camp for several days for their chance to head to the summit.
The three climbers who died on Saturday were believed to have suffered exhaustion and altitude sickness, Nepali mountaineering official Gyanendra Shrestha said. Officials were still gathering details from descending climbers, he said.
The victims were identified as German doctor Eberhard Schaaf, Nepal-born Canadian Shriya Shah, and South Korean mountaineer Song Won-bin. The missing climbers are a Chinese national and his Nepalese Sherpa guide. "There was a traffic jam on the mountain on Saturday. Climbers were still heading to the summit as late as 2:30pm, which is quite dangerous," Shrestha said.
Climbers normally are advised not to try for the summit after 11am. The area above the last camp at the South Col is nicknamed the "death zone" because of the steep icy slope, treacherous conditions and low oxygen level.
"With the traffic jam, climbers had a longer wait for their chance to go up the trail and spent too much time at higher altitude. Many of them are believed to be carrying a limited amount of oxygen, not anticipating the extra time spent," Shrestha revealed.
The climbing season runs from late March to the first week in June, and the Nepalese government places no limits on how many climbers can be on the 8,850-meter mountain. The season's first clear conditions were on Friday and Saturday, but that window already was closing by Saturday afternoon with a windstorm at higher altitudes, Shrestha said.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
