Update: Hungarian climber, Szilard Suhajda, has been found near the Hillary Step with signs of HAPE and frostbite. His wife posted:
This morning, May 25, the home team learned that Szilard was at approximately 8,780 meters, at the bottom of the Hillary Step. A team found him and said that he could be clearly identified from his clothing. When they passed him, he showed signs of life, but there were [also] signs of frostbite and high-altitude cerebral edema.
This evening, Szilard’s home team agreed with the Nepalese agency providing Szilard’s base camp logistics [Seven Summit Treks] that on the morning of May 26, they would attempt to fly up by helicopter to a height from which they could see Szilard. At the same time, three sherpas will be sent for Szilard, who will ideally be able to reach him late on May 26.
“Being realistic, there is a very small chance that Szilard will be found alive at that altitude. However, I fully trust Szilard and and believe in miracles.” – Timea Legindi, Szilard’s wife.
this was first posted on ExWeb and various Facebook accounts.
As the Everest spring season should end, there were a few more summits this morning, and another death was reported. The season is around 600 total summits by members and Sherpas, with the majority being Sherpas. Twelve are reported to have died with three still missing.
South African (born in Canada), Dr. Pieter Swart, 63, is reported to have died by the South African media. There is limited details other than he turned back at the South Col not feeling well.
Summit Climb Ascents also had a good morning with seven on top, three clients, one guide and three Sherpas.
The very accomplished Hungarian climber, Szilard Suhajda, is still missing on his summit bid despite serious efforts to locate him, as reported by highly respected Hungarian journalist Laszlo Pinter. Two other missing climbers for days now, Malaysian Hawari Bin Hashim, 33, and Indian Singaporean Shrinivas Sainis Dattatray, remain missing
2023 Deaths
From 1922 to May 20, 2023, 193 members and 125 Sherpas died on Everest on both sides by all routes. The top causes of death for all 323 deaths include avalanches (78), falls (72), Acute Mountain Sickness-AMS (38), exhaustion (28), illness-non-AMS (27), and exposure (26).
This spring season is well above the historical average of four. The top years for deaths on both sides, by all routes, were 2014 (16), 1996 (15), 2015 (13), 2019 (11), 1982 (11), and 1988 (10). These are the deaths during this 2023 spring season:
1-3. On April 12: Tenjing Sherpa, Lakpa Sherpa, and Badure Sherpa, all working for Nepali operator Imagine Nepal, died when the upper section of the Icefall collapsed
4. May 1: American Jonathan Sugarman, 69, died at Camp 2 climbing with American operator International Mountain Guides (IMG)
5. May 16: Phurba Sherpa passed away near Yellow Band above Camp 3. He was part of the Nepal Army Mountain Clean-up campaign
6. May 17: Moldovan climber Victor Brinza died at the South Col with Nepali operator Himalayan Traverse Adventure
7. May 18: Chinese Xuebin Chen, 52, died near the South Summit with Nepali operator 8K Expeditions
8. May 20: Malaysian Ag Askandar Bin Ampuan Yaacub got above South Summit, then became ill and died. He was climbing with Nepali operator Pioneer Adventures
9. May 21: Australian Jason Bernard Kennison, 40, died near the Balcony. He was with Asian Trekking
10. May 23: Ang Kami Sherpa, camp cook died at Camp 2. He worked for Peak Promotion
11. May 24?: South African Dr. Pieter Swart, 63, reportedly died after turning back at the South Col. Team unknown
12. May 18: There was another death, Indian Suzanne Leopoldina Jesus, 59, who intended to climb Everest but left EBC ill and died in Lukla, so not technically a climbing death.
Nepal RECORD Permit Update as of May 14, 2023
Government officials say they will not issue any more Everest climbing permits this season, stopping at a record of 478. The previous Everest record was 408 for the 2021 season of 408. Nepal issued climbing permits for 1,176 climbers from 80 countries for 27 peaks. Looking at Everest only, China has the largest representation with 97 members, followed by the US at 89, India–at 40, Canada-21, and Russia-20. There are 44 countries represented by three or fewer climbers.
These permits have generated $5.8M in royalties for the government. Almost all of this revenue stays in Kathmandu, with some in various personal pockets and none to the Sherpas, porters, or other high-altitude workers. The Nepal Ministry of Tourism posted these foreign permit tallies as of May 14, 2022:
- Everest: 478 on 47 teams
- Lhotse: 156 on 17 teams
- Ama Dablam: 79 on 8 teams
- Nuptse: 63 on 6 teams (only a few will attempt to summit, most will stop at C2)
- Makalu: 63 on 9 teams
- Annapurna I: 54 on 5 teams
- Kanchenjunga: 44 on 5 teams
- Himlung: 41 on 5 teams
- Dhaulagiri: 37 on 4 teams
- Manaslu: 15 on 4 teams
Climb On!
Alan
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