Home > Mountain

Everest: Almost Everyone Off Mountain

April 27, 2015
Share on SMS

On Monday, good weather allowed helicopters to rescue stranded climbers from camps one and two and dropped them at base camp, according to Ang Tshering Sherpa, head of the Nepal Mountaineering Association.

A rescue helicopter prepares to land and airlift the injured from Everest base camp. Photograph: Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty
A rescue helicopter readies to airlift injured  climbers from Everest Basecamp. Photo Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty

The Guardian reported that three helicopters flew nonstop to rescue climbers off the mountain in what was certainly the biggest rescue operation ever in the Himalayas, if not in the history of mountaineering.

After the 140 people were airlifted off, around 15 climbers remained on the mountain. There are now some 800 people are Basecamp and Tshering Sherpa expected many to wait to see if the path through the Khubu Icefall can be repaired as expeditions want to continue.

The Guardian: Everest Evacuations

Jim Davidson, an American who was trapped at camp one, was one of the first to be evacuated and wrote on his Facebook page, “Weather good on Everest. Evacuation of C1 & C2 going well. I am safe in basecamp now … the injuries, fatalities & tragedy are heartbreaking.”

Raphael Slawinski Reports Post-Earthquake

Danish climber Carsten Lillelund Pedersen survived the large avalanche after running a hiding from it. Now that things have calmed down, he wants to continue to climb. “I still want to climb,” said Mr. Pedersen, whose team suffered no casualties.

After a number of reports, it seems there have been 17 confirmed deaths. At one point, news agencies from the area suggested over 200 people were missing around the Everest Basecamp. Those rumours have thankfully been disproved.