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(Image source: Sky News)
BY BRIAN BONDUS
What's scarier than an angry sherpa? How about 100 angry sherpas. That's what three European
climbers faced on their way down Mount Everest when a group of Sherpas allegedly punched,
kicked and threw rocks at the climbers. The three experienced climbers were climbing
the mountain for the 60th anniversary of the very first human climb and doing it without
oxygen — or ropes — and that's apparently when the altercation took place.
(Via The Sun) Each side has accused the other of starting
the fight. The climbers claim they were victims of an unprovoked attack, while the sherpas
say they retaliated after the climbers crossed over ropes a guide was fixing — and kicked
ice down — injuring a sherpa. Now, the fight happened between camp two and
three about 25,000 feet up the peak. Professional climber Ueli Steck, pictured here on the left,
was accused of touching a rope. The head sherpa then ordered 17 Sherpas back to camp two,
and the climbers followed. (Via Daily Mail)
When they got back they were faced with 100 sherpas shouting death threats at them. The
climbers were reportedly saved thanks to few other Western climbers acting as a buffer
between the groups. Professional climber Simone Moro was blogging
the trip. This was his fifth time climbing Mount Everest.
In a statement he notes ice falling is a common occurrence in mountain climbing and no sherpa
has come forward with an injury. He speculates ...
(Via EpicTV)
"The lead Sherpa was tired and cold and felt
that his pride had been damaged as the three climbers were moving unroped and much faster
to the side of him." Another climber, Jonathan Griffith, who was
photographing the climb, believes the sherpa's reaction stems from a far bigger problem than
ropes getting tangled or ice falling. "A far more deep-rooted and long-term problem,
which is the way that Nepalis feel treated by Westerners on the mountain and this was
an uprising against that." (Via Sky News)
Rock and Ice reports Ueli Steck suffered a large cut on his face and is getting a flight
home to Switzerland. The other two climbers remain at the base
and reportedly may continue the climb. Local police, the Nepali Ministry of Tourism and
the head of the Sherpa Association are all investigating the incident.