Thirty Chinese climbers, including a woman who set a speed record up Everest last month, have still not managed to get home from Kathmandu. Because of Nepal’s COVID crisis, with daily infection rates still soaring at 24 percent, Beijing has not sent any planes to repatriate its citizens.
Although regular passenger planes are not flying, Nepal has allowed two charters per week from China. So far, none have come.
Getting home is harder than climbing Everest, says Tsang Yin-Hung of Hong Kong. Tsang, 44 summited the mountain in 25 hours 50 minutes from Base Camp, a new women’s mark.
“The summit climb for me was possible,” she said. “But going back home [is] hopeless…There are no flights to any place in China or Hong Kong.”
Tashi Lakpa Sherpa of Seven Summit Treks estimates that 30 Chinese climbers remain in Kathmandu.
