Everest alert
by mahmood on 24/04/06 at 9:38 am · email · print
It has been over two weeks since two Bahraini adventurers attempting to scale the world’s highest peak have been heard from.Adnan Al Qassab and Faraj Al Qassimi, who began scaling the 28,028ft Mount Everest on April 2, are unable to use their satellite phones because the Thuraya network is not working following a communications clamp in Nepal.
Phone networks have been jammed in the country after protests by thousands of people against the rule of Nepal’s King Gyanendra.
The team’s public relations officer and Mr Al Qassimi’s brother, Faraj Al Qassimi, has managed to get in contact with a tourism office in Nepal that confirmed they had reached Everest Camp 1 – which is 5,360 metres above sea level – by April 8.
However, he said it is not known if the team reached Camp 2 – which is 6,650 metres above sea level.
He added they should have already reached Camp 2 where they would have had access to telecommunications, but said no contact had been made.
“They are being accompanied by two other adventurers, as well as a first aid specialist and a guide,” Mr Al Qassimi told the GDN.
“The fact that we haven’t heard from them is alarming, but it is also good news in a way because if something had happened to them, the others in the expedition would have reported it by now.”
However, Mr Al Qassimi could not rule out that something could have happened to all six of them.
He said bad weather and the violence in Nepal had resulted in the cancellation of nine other expeditions since the protests started, but added that the ascent of the two Bahrainis was among journeys still going ahead.
The two climbers noted the hardships they faced in a log when they arrived at Camp 1 on April 8.
They said they had come across protesters hiding in the mountains, faced a lack of food, electricity blackouts, telecommunications problems, language difficulties and encountered bridges that were dangerous or broken.
They said they also passed several yaks at dangerous locations, dodged falling rocks, survived small avalanches and suffered from sunburn at certain points of the journey.
In addition, they described the landscape as difficult and requiring some steep climbing.
The team is scaling the northern side of the mountain, which is a shorter but more dangerous route.
The duo reportedly wants to reach the top as quickly as possible.
They underwent training at a mountaineering school before going on the trip to give them confidence in climbing and to get used to living in the outdoors and in the extreme cold.
“Of course we are concerned,” said Mr Qassimi. “Adnan’s mother has been calling me every day.
“Especially since two of his brothers died within months of each other quite recently.”
GDN :: Tariq Khonji :: 24 Apr ’06
