‘He was afraid of being buried if he fell asleep’published at 06:06 BST
We’ve just been in touch with a woman in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, whose husband had found himself stuck in the snowstorm.
On 27 September, her husband had set out on a 12-day trek on the eastern slope of Everest.
Just over a week later, on 5 October, she got a satellite call from him asking for help: his group was stranded in heavy snow at Oga Campsite in the Karma Valley.
The woman, who has chosen not to be named, immediately called local county police who told her that some hikers had already contacted them and that they were sending rescue teams.
“But even for rescuers, it’s not easy. They need to clear snow to make a path. Local villagers and guides have also been mobilized to assist,” she said.
“The snow started falling heavily, so we stopped moving forward and set up camp. But the snow kept piling up during the night, and we were afraid it might collapse our tent, so we had to keep shaking it off,” she recounts her husband telling her.
“He barely slept that night,” his wife said. “He was afraid of being buried if he fell into a deep sleep.”
The next day, his group decided to retreat to Cuoxuerenma camp, which is also in the Valley.
But the snow was so deep that they had to rely on yaks to clear the path, fearing hidden gaps in the snow could trap them. Fortunately, the team was made up of 16 people, including three guides and three yak handlers who could carry their 20 kg loads and clear the route.
She said her husband had paid over 10,000 Chinese yuan ($1,400; £1,000) for the trek. Her husband’s team are now expected to arrive in Cuoxuerenma later this afternoon.
“I hope [his] team reaches them safely,” she said.
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