Two Climbers Rescued After Snow Bridge Collapse in Mt. Everest’s Khumbu Icefall
Two climbers were seriously injured early the morning of May 5th after a snow bridge collapsed in the Khumbu Icefall on Mount Everest, triggering a rapid rescue operation that had both patients evacuated to Kathmandu hospitals within 90 minutes of the incident.
According to Everest.Live, the collapse occurred just below a notorious serac that had been blocking the route earlier this season. The two climbers were buried under ice and snow before other mountaineers in the area mobilized to dig them out and stabilize them for evacuation.
Helicopters were dispatched from nearby Lukla Airport, and by 6:15am, just 30 minutes after the incident, aircraft were already en route to the site. By 7:15am, both patients had been extracted from the icefall and were on their way to hospitals in Kathmandu for advanced medical care.
The injured climbers came from two separate teams. One was Nimesh Kumar Singh, a 40-year-old Indian climber ascending with Pioneer Expeditions. The other was Pemba Tendu Sherpa, a 44-year-old Nepali high-altitude worker known to many on the mountain as Black Yak, who has worked for 14 Peaks Expeditions for many years.
Climbers from Asian Trekking and Seven Summits Treks assisted with the initial rescue and packaging of the patients on the mountain, while Seven Summits Treks coordinated the helicopter response.
As of this writing, both climbers are reported to be in stable condition and are expected to make full recoveries.
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