By climbing Mt Everest I expected to make a little bit of family history, but not in this way. Today has been the saddest of days and has brought home in the strongest terms what dangers lie ahead. You will doubtless have read, seen or heard in various media or blogs what took place this morning. I can only imagine how the 'rich Westerner' has been portrayed. As I write this I have seen or heard nothing so am not swayed by it. This is how the day unfolded for me. This account is drawn from my own experience and nothing else.
I heard several avalanches the previous night. These are not unusual. Indeed as I write another is happening. There were 2 which seemed to me to be particularly large, one around 4 a.m. and another around 6.
At about 7.40 as I was out of my tent in the sunshine preparing my harness and chatting to others about our planned walk into the ice fall for the first time we were approached by another team member with the most dreadful news. A number of people, believed all to be Sherpas making a carry through the ice fall, had been hit by an avalanche. A rescue was underway and we should change our dress as we would not be leaving base camp. At that stage the only information was that around 18 people were involved and that one senior member of our group, a GP, was heading to the accident site on foot. Subsequently another, a cardiac specialist, played a vital role at one of the makeshift reception sites.
Over the next while it became clear to me that an avalanche from the Western Ridge of Everest, probably the one I heard around 6 a.m., was responsible for this tragedy. The reason that so many people were involved was that whereas normally groups moving through the ice fall are well spread out in this case they weren't. A ladder bridge somewhere above the area known as the 'football field' had broken and the Icefall Doctors had been called to repair it. During this process, which could have taken some time, the large group of Sherpas had become bunched and the avalanche hit at the worst possible time.
It was also at about this time I learned that none of the Sherpas from my group who were in the icefall at the time were caught, some having been above the avalanche and some below. Subsequently we learned to our great sadness that 2 of our Sherpas who were brothers had close relations who were caught.
At about 10 I learned that 3 casualties has been found by the rescue teams and were ready for helicopter rescue; one from the Football Field, another from around 50m higher, and a third from higher still at the accident site itself. Helicopter rescue was called for and the regular Mountain helicopter was seen making repeated circular sweeps around the middle section of the ice fall trying to make the necessary height in the thin atmosphere. It appeared to me that just as he clawed his way up to the height of the Football Field he hovered a brief moment then pulled away back to the glacier. We heard that the pilot was unable to land.
From that time all focus was on how quickly other helicopters with a 'long line' capability could be at the accident site and this was estimated at being by around 10:30 to 10:40. While the helicopters were awaited the casualties were prepared for long line rescue and the priority order was agreed.
Sure enough as 10:40 approached 2 small but very powerful helicopters screamed up the glacier and with immense skill both managed to tip-toe through the incredibly dangerous icefall area and actually managed to land, or at least hover close enough to the ground, one at the Football Field and the other at the accident site. Very shortly after these amazing pilots had their respective casualties heading back to base camp medical facilities and while I didn't actually hear a roar of cheering I have no doubt that was silently voiced by everyone watching. Once the first helicopter had safely delivered it's casualty it immediately headed back, this time with the longline hanging beneath its fuselage, to pick up the the third casualty, this time from the site 50m above the Football Field which being in a depression could not allow a landing. This evacuation was made at 11:05 and the patient was delivered at 11:15.
Shortly thereafter it was confirmed that these were the last casualty evacuations. Thereafter all recoveries would be of the deceased. While the pilots had been prepared to put their own lives at considerable risk in order to land previously and collect casualties, this risk was not warranted to collect bodies so for the next considerable time those at base camp witnessed flight after flight of long line recoveries from the mountain to the reception centre just outside of base camp.
I am not privy to the final numbers of dead so will not postulate my understanding. Doubtless the news media will inform you. All I know for a fact is that as soon as the accident was reported the very best and most experienced brains were on the case and the rescue was mounted immediately. Indeed it appeared to be handled with the precision of a drill. I will not name names but these really were the best of the best. The pilots of the choppers did the best with the machines they had and those who eventually effected the rescue were outstanding.
That is all I have to say. That is all I can say without speculation which I will not do.
One fact remains however. What was to have been my first step into the ice fall proved instead to be some peoples' last. My thoughts, and I hope yours, are with those brave souls and their families.