abstracts 2010 - Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Gebirgsmedizin
abstracts 2010 - Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Gebirgsmedizin
abstracts 2010 - Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Gebirgsmedizin
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Manaslu / Annapurna, April 28 th <strong>2010</strong><br />
On April 28 th , Richard, Sabin and Daniel took off from Kathmandu heading to Manaslu. The<br />
Korean expedition leader wanted us to search again for the dead bodies of the Korean<br />
expedition (see previous report). According to the expedition members, the spotted climber<br />
we found the previous day was not a member of the Korean expedition.<br />
After an extensive search we had to abort the mission, none of the dead bodies was found.<br />
Shortly after the landing in Kathmandu we were called to another rescue mission to Mount<br />
Annapurna.<br />
A Spanish expedition was reported to be in trouble on the north ridge.<br />
One expedition member was reported to be exhausted, blind and unable to move his legs and<br />
arms. At this time, it was not clear at what altitude and position he was. We immediately took<br />
off from Kathmandu, heading for Annapurna base camp. Due to bad weather, we were unable<br />
to fly to the base camp and had to land in Pokhara where we stayed overnight.<br />
The next morning we took off from Pokhara at 6 o’clock. The weather was clear, so we<br />
reached base camp in short time.<br />
After a briefing with the Spanish expedition leader, we found out that one member was lying<br />
at 7`500 meters, most likely dead. During the night, one Sherpa climbed up from camp 4 to<br />
look for the missing Spanish climber, but unfortunately he could not find him. In addition,<br />
three climbers were stocked in camp 4 at 6`950 meters, suffering from altitude sickness and<br />
frost bites.<br />
In a recognition flight with Sabin and the expedition doctor we could not find the missing<br />
Spanish climber. Therefore we decided to fly out the climbers from camp 4. In the steep<br />
terrain of camp 4 a landing was not possible, so the only way to get the stranded and<br />
exhausted climbers down was by the use of the short haul or MERS (long line).<br />
After three attempts, Dani placed Richard at camp 4 but due to rising troubles with Richards’s<br />
oxygen system, we decided not taking the risk of leaving Richard at 7`000 meters without<br />
supplemental oxygen.<br />
With the gained experience of this flight and the clear radio communication with camp 4, we<br />
decided to fly to camp 4 with the longline only, and so all three expedition members were<br />
evacuated from camp 4 at 6950 meters down to base camp at 4000 meters with the line. This<br />
was the highest rescue mission ever performed with a helicopter.<br />
Dani and Richard, Pokhara, April 29 th <strong>2010</strong>