A pair of Mongolian climbers have been lacking for almost three days within the dying zone on Mt. Everest.
Two Mongolian climbers, Prevsuren Lkhagvajav and Usukhjargal Tsedendamba, have disappeared on Mount Everest (8,848 m), after leaving Camp IV (7,950m) for the summit Sunday night time.
Tsedendamba (53) and Lkhagvajav (31), have been reportedly climbing with out guides or assist as a part of a nine-member Mongolian staff. They’d employed companies at Base Camp from clothing store 8K Expeditions, and had bought (however didn’t plan to make use of) bottles of supplementary oxygen.
The pair’s final radio contact with Base Camp occurred shortly after 7:00 p.m. on Could 12. They hoped to succeed in the summit and return the next morning, however sources point out they selected to depart their radio at Camp IV when making their summit push.
On the morning of the thirteenth Tsedendamba and Lkhagvajav have been sighted at distance en-route to the summit by one other social gathering, however after this have been by no means seen or heard from once more. They’ve now been lacking for almost three days.
The elevations in query—above the dying zone—are too excessive for an aerial search by helicopter, and an onslaught of foul climate has stymied floor efforts. Two Sherpa climbers despatched to Camp IV by 8K Expeditions have been trapped there amid ensuing storms, and a bigger SAR effort has but to make headway. “We’re ready for climate to enhance to ship the search staff above base camp,” 8K’s Pemba Sherpa informed Everest Chronicle.
8K reported that the climbers have been seemingly skilled, and rebuffed gives for help. “They have been assured about their talent and power. They informed us that they have been skilled climbers and want no Sherpa assist,” added managing director Lakpa Sherpa. “We even provided them our guides at no cost, however they turned down the request.”
Although Everest noticed a rapid-fire slew of summits after the route from the South Col was opened final Saturday, no climbers have managed to summit within the final two days (since Tsedendamba and Lkhagvajav have been lacking) as a result of poor situations. Some sources have reported wind speeds cresting 80 kmh.
“It will be miraculous if we discovered them alive,” an nameless official informed Chronicle. “No climber, so far as I can bear in mind, has survived for thus lengthy at that altitude.”
If Lkhagvajav and Tsedendamba are certainly deceased, their deaths will mark the third and fourth of the 2024 8,000-meter season, nonetheless in its early days.
This newest tragedy comes simply after a French climber, 60-year-old Johnny Saliba, died throughout his Sunday summit push on Makalu (8,485m). “We have been informed that he had complained of sickness at 8,350 meters throughout his summit push,” Madhu Prasad, his liason officer, informed Everest Chronicle. Prasad indicated that altitude illness was possible the reason for dying.
Saliba’s dying was the second on the mountain. Lakpa Tenji, a Seven Summits Sherpa, died at Camp III final week. The 53-year-old summited the mountain alongside 11 others on Could 6, however handed away on the descent attributable to unclear well being points.
Over 400 climbers (not together with Sherpas) have permits to summit Everest this yr, and there have been over 1,000 permits issued for 8,000-meter peaks in Nepal.