Most climbers on Annapurna are now descending to Base Camp, some roped to their Sherpa guides. At least six of them were airlifted from Camp 3. But hope has faded for the two Nepalese, Rima Sherpa and Ngima Tashi Sherpa, who disappeared yesterday in an avalanche. A follow-up helicopter search today found no trace of them.
Missing: Rima Sherpa, top, and Ngima Tashi Sherpa. Photos: Pemba Jangbu Sherpa/Facebook
Several climbers who had quit the massive summit push during the early hours of Monday, including Roman Romancini of Brazil and John Black of South Africa, crossed paths with the Sherpas as they descended the mountain. Minutes later, they were shocked to hear a huge avalanche above them. Black posted a video as he faced the avalanche’s shockwave. Sherpas in Camp 2 also filmed the slide:
While Black retreated, his climbing partner Warren Eva continued to the summit. Like many others, Eva remained in Camp 3 yesterday because the avalanche had compromised the route below him. Today, some waited for the Sherpas to re-fix the route, or descended with the help of their guides. Others bailed by taking a helicopter lift from Camp 3.
The two South Africans (Black and Eva) are with Pioneer Adventures. Pioneer’s director, Nivesh Karki, told ExplorersWeb that all the members of their team had made it safely down to Base Camp by their own means. However, the South Africans told us on social media that only Eva and one other climber descended all the way down on foot; the other Pioneer clients took the helicopter.
Evacuation or shortcut?
The situation is similar to that of last spring, when a group of climbers also got stranded. Some were evacuated from Camp 3 by helicopter. Some ill climbers were rescued, but others were airlifted simply to avoid the most dangerous section.
We are waiting for details about who was airlifted from the mountain and why. So far, we only have confirmation of one person from 8K Expeditions (whose identity is not public). CEO Lakpa Sherpa confirmed that the client was evacuated to the hospital.
“It was not an airlift but a serious medical evacuation,” he explained to ExplorersWeb.
In any case, these airlifts are not a positive development. If the climbers are just tired and want to skip the danger, it is understandable, but perhaps in that case, they should not be climbing Annapurna in the first place. A long-line rescue from nearly 6,500m involves dangerous maneuvers for both pilots and passengers. If all the airlifts today were simply medical emergencies, it shows that something failed in the summit strategy.
Foggy weather
Everyone else on the 8K Expeditions team is descending slowly to Base Camp with their guides. We are waiting to hear when they finally make it safely back. John Black also mentioned that several additional avalanches took place yesterday, and the weather was not improving.
A helicopter around Annapurna this morning, filmed by pilot Sobit Gauchan. Photo: @sobitgauchan
Helicopter pilot Sobit Gauchan has posted some images today on social media, showing a very foggy day at Annapurna Base Camp. Despite this, he has managed to conduct a rescue operation, he wrote.
Over for the season
Both Pioneer and 8K Expeditions are now closing their Base Camps, even if not all their team members reached the summit.
“Not everyone summits, that’s life in the mountains,” Arjun Karki of 8K Expeditions told ExplorersWeb. Indeed, increasing summit success on 8,000 peaks has created the impression for some inexperienced clients that operators can almost guarantee a summit. In the end, the mountain still calls the tune.
Annapurna is an objectively dangerous peak prone to avalanches. This year, conditions were particularly tough, as veteran guide Mingma G has confirmed. He has vowed not to guide again on Annapurna because of the danger.
