Avalanche hits Everest camps

No one was killed in Thursday’s avalanche, which swept through the first of four camps set up between Everest’s base camp and the mountain’s 8,850-meter (29,035-foot) summit. Climbers said the avalanche destroyed about 40 tents and buried food, oxygen and other supplies. [1]
The Everest climbing season has not yet reached the death zone, and already Everest South had a difficult week; two fatalities in three days and a big avalanche wiping out camp 1. In addition, the jet wind is forecasted to return this weekend, sending most climbers down the valleys to recover strength before the summit push. [5]
Canadian Sean Egan, 63, died on April 29 after an apparent heart attack on Everest’s slopes. Michael O’Brien, 39, of Seattle fell to his death on Sunday returning through the Khumbu icefall. [2, 6]

Helicopter evacuates Everest climbers [The AGE]
May 7, 2005 – 8:44PM

A helicopter evacuated injured climbers from Mount Everest on Saturday, two days after they were hit by an avalanche on the world’s highest peak, rescuers said.

The helicopter safely brought back two American, two Canadian and a Nepalese Sherpa guide to the capital Katmandu, where they were being treated for their injuries.

An earlier report said two Sherpa guides had been injured.

The climbers had been stranded on the base camp since Thursday when a powerful avalanche swept down the mountain’s west shoulder.

Snow and high winds abated enough on Saturday for the rescue helicopter to land at the base camp.

No-one was killed in Thursday’s avalanche, which swept through the first of four camps set up between Everest’s base camp and the mountain’s 8,850-metre summit.

For two days, snow and high winds prevented helicopters from evacuating the injured from the base camp, which is located at an elevation of 5,300 metres.

There are no roads to the camp and the only other way to reach it is to hike for a week to the nearest airstrip.

© 2005 AAP