KATHMANDU, May 23: Over 100 climbers made it to the top of Mount Everest from the Nepal side on Monday, taking advantage of the fair weather.
According to Director General of the Department of Tourism Dinesh Bhattarai, the mountaineers, who were waiting for a fair weather window, ascended the 8,848 meter-high peak Monday. "It has been reported to us that over 100 climbers belonging to various expedition teams made it to the top of Everest on Monday," Bhattarai told Republica.
Nearly 100 climbers had reached the summit on Sunday also. The climbers had been waiting at various camps for the weather to improve. Prior to this, 14 Nepali mountaineers including three members of the British Gurkhas had topped the world's highest peak.
Six climbers perish on Everest
At least six climbers have perished in their attempt to climb Everest so far this season.
The number of fatalities reached five after Indian climber Ravi Kumar, who went missing Sunday while descending from the summit, was found dead on Monday. Sherpa rescuers found that Kumar had fallen some 200 meters down the mountain.
On Sunday, American climber Roland Yearwood and Vladir Starba of Slovakia also died on April 30 while trying to conquer Everest from the Nepal side, according to Director General Bhattarai. Similarly, Swiss mountaineer Ueli Steck died on Everest on April 30.
An Australian climber, Franscesco Enrico, who climbed from the Tibet side, also perished on Sunday, according to media reports.
Min Bahadur Sherchan, who was 85, died at base camp early in May while on his way toward the summit.
Tourism awareness drive from world's atop
Too risky to retrieve Kumar's body
Chairman of Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) Aang Chhiring Sherpa said it was too risky to retrieve the body of Indian climber Kumar, which was spotted by Sherpa rescuers Monday.
"The body has been spotted in a deep gorge. Although not impossible, it is difficult to retrieve the body," said Sherpa. "It is not only risky but will also be costly."
Sherpa said the agency concerned will assess the risk and decided on Tuesday whether to retrieve or not. Sources said the Indian embassy in Kathmandu has been pressuring the agency to retrieve the body at the earliest possible.
Hillary Step intact
Dismissing reports that Hillary Step, the rock face along the route just below the summit of Everest, has collapsed, officials said it is still intact.
Hillary step is a roughly 12 meter-high near vertical rock face just 58 meters below the summit.
Officials said it had remained covered by thick snow for days and a section of media had claimed that it had collapsed. "We have not received any such report," said Director General Bhattarai, dismissing the media reports.
NMA Chairman Sherpa said he talked to a number of climbers who reached the summit this season as well as last year. "Hillary Step is very much intact. The news reports seem to have surfaced as the rock portion was covered by snow," Sherpa told Republica.
Sherpa said 454 climbers reached the Everest summit last year. "Hillary Step was intact last year and the big earthquake had occured in 2015," he argued.
