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NEWSFLASH 4/16/2000 12:05PM EST
US
- News from the French Canadians on
the North Side (Tibet) of Everest
This is to inform you
that an accident happened a few hour ago on the China side of Everest.
The accident involved
a Nepali member of the Everest Millenium team www.everestmillenium.qc.ca
(French Canadian / Quebec team ).
I receive a satellite
call at 9h00AM today from Francois Loubert, member of the team and doctor. I got
only partial information at this time, because the poor satellite phone
communications I had with Francois were really short. The calls were cut because
of the poor telecom. signal.
The team was split in
2 group : 2 members Claude-Andre and Bernard were at the Advanced Base Camp
waiting for the equipment that were coming up, while the 2 others were going
down to the Base Camp at 5700m with the Jean-Pierre Danvoye / L'Echappee belle
trekking's group.
While going down, the
2 members and trekkers came across Bam
Badour, the Nepali team's cook
. Bam Badour was climbing to the Advanced Base Camp (ABC). When the group
came across Bam Badour, they talked with Bam
who said he was feeling tired but Ok and wanted to climb to ABC. A
little bit after, Claude-Andre when down (for a reason I ignore at this time)
and found Bam Badour
unconscious. Francois and
Claude-Andre took 2 Yaks and
started the rescue. On the
last call I had with Francois, he was with Claude-Andre and Bam Badour. Francois
who is a doctor (medical) said
Bam Badour had a cerebral and pulmonary edema. They were going down to the Base
Camp. I cannot confirm the gravity of the edema for now. I think Bam is still
alive but not sure.
It is the only
information I got for now.
P.S. sorry for my
english writing...
Dominic Danvoye
Everest Millenium's
Montreal based contact and web site responsible. President AZUR Informatique
Inc.
- There are at least 8
expeditions at Everest Base camp on the North.
- Bam Badour works
for Asian Trekking, which supports most expeditions on the North Side of
Everest. EverestNews.com has informed Asian Trekking of the
situation. They should have many other Sherpa climbers in the area to assist
if necessary.
- EverestNews.com
will let You know more when we do...
- Our prayers go out to Bam
Badour and his family on this Sunday before Easter.
NEWSFLASH 4/16/2000 9:05PM EST
US
- News from the French Canadians on
the North Side (Tibet) of Everest
Latest news from
Everest Millenium: I talked with Francois I just talked to Francois a few
minutes ago, he explain me in detail how the incident happened.
On April 13 the
Everest Millenium team members and Jean-Pierre Danvoye / L'Echappee belle
trekker's spend the night at 5400m. Then next day April 14 climbed and stay for
the night at 5900m. Then on the April 15 eleven trekkers, Jean-Pierre Danvoye
and team members Francois Loubert, Andre Laperiere, Bernard Mailhot and
Claude-Andre Nadon reach the Advanced Base Camp (ABC) with their 16 yaks
carrying food and gears. All the high altitude gear, tents, clothing and all
other material needed for the climbing left from the Base Camp (2 days delayed)
on April 15. The cook Bam Badour and his helpers were following the yaks heading
to the ABC.
On April 16
Jean-Pierre Danvoye and his trekking team, along with Francois Loubert and Andre
Laperiere were going back to the Base Camp because the trek was at it's end.
While going down at 2h00 PM the group cross the yaks, yaks man's and the cooks.
One cook Bam Badour was the last member of the caravan. Francois Loubert
reported that Bam Badour looks tired but said he was ok and wanted to head up to
ABC. Even if Jean-Pierre Danvoye offer Bam to follow his group to his camp a few
hundred meters down and spend the night and take a little time off Bam Badour
said he was felling ok and really wanted to go up. So Trekkers let him go up and
follow their plan and went down to their camp at 5700m.
During that moment
Everest Millenium team member Bernard Mailhot and Claude-Andre Nadon were
waiting for the yaks caravan at ABC. When the yaks caravan arrived at ABC Bam
Badour wasn't with the caravan's group. At 5h00 PM the cook Bam Badour still
wasn't arrived at ABC. Claude-Andre decided to go down to check if he could find
him. He walk down for 1 hour to find Bam Badour lying on the ground unconscious
near 5950m. He was able to wake up Bam Badour. Bam wasn't able to stand up.
Claude-Andre climbed
up to ABC and get 2 yaks, 2 yak's man and then get Bam Badour on one yaks and
head to the other trekkers team member camp at 5700m. While the yaks and 2 yak's
man were making their way down, Claude-Andre run ahead to 5700m and, at 8h00 PM,
reach the trekkers camp and inform Jean-Pierre Danvoye and Francois Loubert of
the incident. Jean-Pierre, Francois and Claude-Andre climb up and at 8h10 PM
meet the yaks and Bam Badour. It is at this moment that Francois, who is a
doctor, notice that Bam was suffering of serious cerebral and pulmonary edema.
Francois get the needed medicine to Bam. They could then make their way down, it
took 2 hours. But just near the 5700m camp their was a part that couldn't be
done with the yaks so Jean-Pierre Danvoye get Bam on his back and climb the hard
part of the trail to the his camp.
At 8h30, the trekkers
camp Claude-Andre meet Chris a guide from Russell Brice (Himalayan climber and
guide) who gave his help and contacted his team at the Base Camp to inform them
about the incident and advise them that the rescue team were going down carrying
Bam at a lower altitude. One trekker's cook set a yak and Jean-Pierre Danvoye,
Francois Loubert headed to the Base Camp.
Francois said it was
the perfect night, not too cold, high visibility and low wind, to do the rescue.
At 12h30 AM they arrived at the Base Camp (5200m) where everything was set up to
place Bam Badour in a safe place where oxygen was available. Bam received more
care and medicine from Francois.
Bam's condition is
much better now, but still isn't able to stand up.
Francois's
summary:
1. If Claude-Andre
didn't reach Bam Badour and get him down Bam chance to live were not high.
2. The speed trekker's
cook had set up the yak make the rescue really fast as it needed.
3. The help of Chris, Russell
Brice's guide, was also so much helpful because with his telecom. equipment it
make the Base Camp guys set up the coming of Bam.
That's all I know for
now. I'm really glad it's finishing like that!
Dominic Danvoye
Everest Millenium
electronic's communication responsible and Montreal's based contact.
Prιsident AZUR
Informatique Inc.
Daily News: 4/17/2000 Report
- Danish
Expedition: Thrane & Thrane
The
satellite communication company, Thrane & Thrane, is sponsoring the first
all Danish Mount Everest Expedition. The expedition named BigE Thrane
& Thrane Danish Everest Expedition 2000 - All eight members of the
BigE-expedition are among the most experienced Danish climbers with significant
mountaineering experience. Leader of the expedition and team doctor is Henrik
Jessen Hansen. Henrik Jessen Hansen has been on five earlier expeditions to
the Himalayas, including one to Mount Everest in 1996. This year was a
disastrous year at Mount Everest with numerous casualties. As a result, Henrik
Jessen Hansen had to give up his personal attempt to reach the summit. Instead
Henrik Jessen Hansen established the world's highest emergency hospital,
where he performed important and needed rescue help.
Update: Hello
EverestNews.com
Some news
from Big E Thrane & Thrane Danish Everest Expedition 2000.
4 of our guys are now in camp
2 at 6500 meter. No problems with headache or nausea. They told me on the walkie
that we are lucky this year. In '96 we had to cross the bergsschrund where the
normal route crosses. Directly up from camp 2 the crevasse was about 15 meters
wide and practically impossible. But this year we can go directly up and across
the bergsschrund, it's only a few meters wide. This makes it much more safe for
us. In '96 I had a close escape with rocks being loosened by climber up on the
Geneva spur. We had to cross the face in the fall line of the Geneva spur.
So we are in for a safer trip
this year.
The icefall is also not to
bad. There is one pitch that resembles "the mousetrap" from '96 but
otherwise there are fewer ladders and seemingly not too many really dangerously looking
places. On the other hand "the mousetrap" itself did not collapse
last time though some of the supporting seracs did collapse. It's not always the
most obvious places that danger lurks. Best regards,
Bo Belvedere Christensen
Big E Thrane & Thrane
Danish Everest Expedition 2000.
Check the Danish reports at
- Everest
Spring 2000: Everest
Dream
I will be resting at
BC 4/14, 4/15 and 4/16 and will head for Camp II on 4/17. Next update may be
after 4/20... Thank you all for your support... Love, Saeed
April 8, 2000
Sagarmatha Base Camp :Greetings from the BC. I had my first climb up the famous
Khumbu Ice Fall today. I made my climb solo up the ice fall because the Sherpa
guides are waiting for our Puja ceremony before start climbing the mountain.
Puja means "Giving Prayer" to the mountain gods and goddesses. As you
may know the media has introduced the Khumbu ice fall a "moving ice
monster" that eats the climbers every so often and spits their skeletons
out after many years!!! I, on the other hand, found the ice fall to be one of
the most beautiful places that I have ever seen on my past climbs. I was so much
taken by its beauty and shot so much video and pictures that half way up I ran
out of time and I had to return to BC before dark. I have many pictures and
videos to share with all of you when I get back. My evening ended with a good
dinner and the listening pleasure of Beethoven piano concerto No. 3 which is a
master piece like all his other works. As I was listening to this work in my
tent curled up in my sleeping bag I noticed that the fact that I am listening to
Beethoven at Sagarmatha's BC is owed initially to my oldest brother Majid
who introduced me to climbing and classical music and secondly to all the
sponsors and supporters of the "Everest Dream". Thank you all for your
support... The Everest Dream climb with the cause of "Unity between Iranian
& American People" has earned recognition at the BC and the united Iran
& USA flags will be raised at the Puja ceremony on April 10th at our camp. I
will fill you in with more details and possibly a picture then... Saeed
April 9, 2000
Sagarmatha Base Camp
Today was a rest day
at BC and the first half of the day was spent on cleaning and house keeping
activities around the tent. It was a windy day overall but I was able to
videotape the Sherpas as they were getting ready for the Puja Ceremony. Jeff
Warden from Canada arrived at our camp around 9:30
AM which was quite early thinking that the ceremony was today. He brought a pair
of Walki-Talkies with him. Many thanks to Soheila that with such a short notice
from Kathmandu Fed-Ex them to him and now we had them. We will be testing them
in the next few days. The day ended up being a cloudy and windy day with a
dusting of snow in our camp. At camp everyone is looking forward to the Puja
ceremony which is taking place tomorrow...
Saeed
April 10th, 2000
Sagarmatha Base Camp (17,600'):
We could not have
picked a better day for the Puja ceremony. A perfect calm and sunny day at our
camp. Tswang Dorje Sherpa came to my tent and asked for my flag. He was excited
to see the large Iran & USA flag sewn together. The Iran & USA conflict
had reached his little village also and he with his broken english replied,
"Goot for Iran and USA peace, too many years not peace...". The
ceremony started with chanting of the local Lama who was the father of the Sirdar of our Expedition. After a full hour of chanting all six Sherpas who are
supporting the expedition, raised the country flags as well as prayer flags. I
videotaped and photographed the whole ceremony which was ended with throwing
rice flower and rice in the air to bring good Kerma to our climb and make peace
with the mountains. Around noon the weather changed direction and clouds moved
in with a dusting of snow in the late afternoon. I will be leaving BC to camp I
tomorrow to acclimatize to the higher elevation. At this point the climbers in
my camp are: Jeff Warden from
Canada, Bill Zachary from USA, Carlos from Spain and Anna from Poland. Saeed
April 11, 2000
Sagarmatha Camp I (19,700'):
I left BC about 8:30
AM this morning for Camp I under nice sunny weather. The route to Camp I goes
through the famous Khumbu Ice Fall among large pieces of ice and snow and across
ladders that have been put across large crevasses. I went through the ice fall
carefully and made it to Camp 1 about 3:30 PM in a blizzard. At first it was
difficult to find the tent that had been set up for me by Sherpas earlier but
using the radio contact with BC I located my tent and shortly after I was in the
safety of my tent melting snow for water to make soup for dinner. It was quite a
windy afternoon and the wind continued on all night. I crawled into my sleeping
bag at about 7:00 O'clock and fell asleep listening to the sound of the wind...
Saeed
April 12, 2000
Sagarmatha Camp I (19,700')
I did not leave my
sleeping bag until the sun hit my tent at about 8:45 in the morning. Carlos from
Spain was already up and running at that time and was getting ready to start the
day in his tent next to mine. It
wasn't until I heard our Sherpas arrive, they are carrying loads from BC to II,
that I dressed and went outside. It was a beautiful, calm and sunny day outside and after
talking to Sherpas they continued on to camp II and I went back in the tent to
make breakfast. I made some noodle soup for breakfast and a bottle of energy
drink afterward and stepped out to explore the camp. For the rest of the day I
talked to other groups who were resting in camp I. Camp II is also
considered an advanced Base Camp -- ABC -- because after proper acclimatization
climbers will be spending much time there to get ready to advance to higher
camps and eventual summit attempt. The day ended again with an afternoon storm
that pushed everyone to their tents. But the night was quite calm and clear and
I did dare to come out of tent in the middle of the night to watch the beautiful
starry sky... Saeed
April 13, 2000
Sagarmatha Camp I to BC (19,700') --> (17,600')
I awoke to with my
pre-assigned radio contact with Jeff who was coming to Camp I. After a short
conversation we assigned our next contact in the Ice Fall as he was coming up
and I was going down. After melting some snow for hot water and getting ready to
go down I got out of the tent to a nice and sunny day to take some video and
pictures of the Camp I. I noticed that someone called me across the camp. It was
Ray -- the Armenian climber
-- who had arrived late the
day before. After a conversation I left Camp I about 9:00 and an hour
later I ran into Jeff Warden who was coming up and Finn
Olaff Jones -- whom I met in
DC a few weeks before my departure -- on his way down. Everyone was in good
shape and after a short conversation we continued on to get out of the Ice Fall
faster. On the way down to BC I noticed that I was somewhat dehydrated and low
in energy and I did not have any sugar product with me so I added a couple of
packets of vitamin C powder to my water and that boosted some energy to make it
down. I was at the bottom of the Ice Fall at noon and after a short walk I was
invited for lunch at Babu
Jiri's expedition tent were I saw Hugo Rodriguez -- The Mexican Climber who made
it through the night at the south summit on Everest in 1997 -- and Gabrielle -- a
Canadian climber whom I met in Namche Bazar --. Since they had a Russian doctor
conducting research on high altitude mountaineers, I gave blood to get some feed
back on the effects of having slept two nights at 19,700'. I had a pleasent
lunch with the team and returned to my camp at 2:00 PM and was greeted by the
rest of folks at camp. I settled in at my tent and after the radio contact with
Jeff at Camp I and having dinner, I passed out and slept like a baby till the
next morning... Saeed
Saeed's
dispatches/pictures and more from
Nepal can be found at www.everestdream.com
Graham
Hoyland and the BBC returns to Everest
in Spring 2000 in search of the camera and Irvine. EverestNews.com
EverestNews.com
will feature full dispatches from Mountain Madness for Everest Spring 2000
List of
Expeditions who have paid for their permits in Nepal
In search
of Mike Matthews' Body
Reinhold
Messner latest adventure
The
Quest for 14
Death
on the way to Everest continued
Death
on the way to Everest
EverestNews.com
has learned a 14 year boy
plans to attempt the Summit of Everest in Spring 2000
Juan
Oiarzabal, "To
the Edge of The Impossible"
or AL FILO DE LO IMPOSIBLE in Spanish: Expedition
to recreate the ascent of 1924 of Mallory and Irvine of
Everest. This
expedition is already
underway.
Summary
of Canadian Expeditions on Everest in Spring 2000
Graham
Hoyland's Lecture "Unraveling the Mystery of George Mallory" in the
Baird Auditorium at the National Museum of Natural History.
Alan
Hinkes Q&A
EverestNews.com
will feature full dispatches from Adventure Consultants for Everest Spring 2000
Close
Does Not Count for Records
ALAN
HINKES TARGETS THIRD HIGHEST MOUNTAIN IN THE WORLD, KANGCHENJUNGA AS TWELFTH
MOUNTAIN ON HIS CHALLENGE TO ACHIEVE BRITISH RECORD
EverestNews.com
will feature full dispatches from Jagged Globe for Everest Spring 2000
Spanish
Climber to attempt the Messner route on Everest
Change
of Guard at the Khumbu Ice Fall
Graham
Hoyland and the BBC returns to Everest in Spring 2000 in search of the camera
and Irvine.
Jochen
Hemmleb Q&A Part 7
India
climber plans to spend the night on the Summit
For
all the April 2000 News
For
all the March 2000 News
