A moral question of right or wrong.

[Konovalov]

Attitude to Everest 'horrifying'

May 24, 2006 - 8:04AM


Inglis and, inset, Sir Edmund: "There have been a number of occasions when people have been neglected and left to die and I don't regard this as a correct philosophy," he said.


Sir Edmund Hillary has questioned the actions of New Zealand climber Mark Inglis, who left another climber to die on his way to conquering Mt Everest.

Inglis, a double-amputee, was one of many climbers who passed British climber David Sharp, 34, on his way to the top of the world's highest mountain a week ago.

Sharp, a 34-year-old engineer, later died on the mountain.

"In our expedition there was never any likelihood whatsoever if one member of the party was incapacitated that we would just leave him to die," Hillary, the first climber to conquer Everest, told the Otago Daily Times.

On Monday night, Inglis said his own party was the only one to stop and help Sharp from among a stream of about 40 climbers who walked on past Sharp as he lay in Everest's "death zone" above 8000m.

Other climbers reported seeing Sharp trying to work on his oxygen system, but Inglis said the Briton had no oxygen.

Sharp had climbed alone, after two previous unsuccessful attempts in 2003 and 2004, without oxygen.

Both times he was forced to turn back at 8470m. This time, he apparently reached the summit with the help of two four litre oxygen bottles from a trekking company.

Hillary said that on his expedition there was no way you would leave a man under a rock to die.

He said people had completely lost sight of what was important.

"There have been a number of occasions when people have been neglected and left to die and I don't regard this as a correct philosophy," he said.

He said the difficulties posed by operating at high altitude were not an excuse.

"I think the whole attitude towards climbing Mt Everest has become rather horrifying. The people just want to get to the top," he said.

"They don't give a damn for anybody else who may be in distress and it doesn't impress me at all that they leave someone lying under a rock to die."

A scientist who has studied oxygen use on Mt Everest told the Otago Daily Times he believed the life of the British climber could have been saved.

University of Otago scientist and mountaineer Dr Phil Ainslie said it might have been possible to revive the climber with bottled oxygen and even get him down to safety.

However, he said that one chance of making the summit would have dictated events.

Many on the mountain had paid upwards of $US75,000 ($A99,000) and were effectively being dragged up by guides, he said.

NZPA

http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/att...150286180.html

What are peoples thoughts on this? Was it the right thing to do and just leave the guy there where he was to die? Should some effort have been made to try to get him down from there? I find this incident disturbing if what has been reported is accurate and true.

[STEED]

Every effort should have been made; you don’t just leave him there to die.

[scandium]

Agreed, it is very disturbing. People absolutely should have tried to save him even if it meant abandoning their climb. Mount Everest isn't going anywhere.

[The Avon Lady]

This is disgusting. They failed to climb the highest mountain. Shame on them.

[kiwi_2005]

Every effort should have been made; you don’t just leave him there to die.

Also this guy Inglis got saved by climbers yrs ago when he was stranded a big search party went out to rescue him. I would think he might of thought its time to pay it forward, by helping this guy. But he didn't.

Still im no climber & the conditions were terrible. Who knows *shrugs*

[Skybird]

Do I get this right - they ignored the wounded man on their way UP, not DOWN...???

I could eventually - depending on the situation - understand to leave a man behind if already in retreat, for example to get help, or to save the life of the others if there a threatening weather coming in pursue and there is no chance perceived to get the man down before the whole group is in danger. However, such decision cannot be made in advance, and cannot or should not be designed as a general blueprint. In that scenario I would respect both possibel decison being made by a crew: to leave the man, or to risk all and averything by staying with him, or taking him with them.

But ignoring a man like this while still on the way up, just because one is craving for the fame and is putting that above human life is... well, being a human means more than a body, two legs, two arms, a head - humanquality is defined by intentions, motivations, feelings, thinking, and doing. Seen this way, this creature that let that man die to continue with it's own climb is no human being, in my eyes.

And even some higher animals do not leave their dying ones behind that easily.

[Konovalov]

Originally Posted by Skybird

Do I get this right - they ignored the wounded man on their way UP, not DOWN...???

It was on the climbers ascent up the mountain and not down according to all the news repoprts that I have read. On the surface it appears that the climbers desire to reach the summit was greater than their concern for another climber in trouble. But I'll reserve judgement until I have heard from those that left the man there to die.

[kiwi_2005]

But I'll reserve judgement until I have heard from those that left the man there to die.

Watched abit of it on the news tonight, Inglis clearly look distressed, his family over here are upset naturally and he knows when he comes home on friday hes going to be hunted by the media as soon as he steps of the plane. He said he didn't do very much to help him, the others in the team he said helped more than him but there was nothing they could do (according to what he saw) he was dying. Still Like Edmond Hilary said, back in his days of mountain climbing everest there was just no way they would of left a man there to die, no matter how dangerous they would of brought him down. Another thing inglis said on the mountain there are dead bodies litter all over the place frozen standing or sitting up, due from poorly equiped climbers who pay $8000 but get no help, no oxygen, no scouts. Those who pay 10x as much get the full load so to speak, scouts etc., Dont know the real story but the british climber ran out of oxygen on the way down. Your a walking dead man without oxygen.

[joea]

NO NO NO!!!!

[Perilscope]

Me personally, I would not care what the person in distress is saying; I would try to bring him back... if achievable. :hmm:

[CB..]

heck i'm no climber---but what are the odds that these climbers were --ahem --dare i even say it let alone think it in todays atmosphere of political correctness---climbing as a LifeStyle option-- not as a life-long passion-

yup that's it IMO they were after the bragging rights down the pub everything else including human beings are expendable to those in true persuit of a lifestyle

never could there be a clearer instance of people who dearly need to "get a life" then this bunch of wannabees

[kiwi_2005]

What Sir Edmond Hilary had to say:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/st...ectID=10383276

[August]

Originally Posted by CB..

heck i'm no climber---but what are the odds that these climbers were --ahem --dare i even say it let alone think it in todays atmosphere of political correctness---climbing as a LifeStyle option-- not as a life-long passion-

yup that's it IMO they were after the bragging rights down the pub everything else including human beings are expendable to those in true persuit of a lifestyle

never could there be a clearer instance of people who dearly need to "get a life" then this bunch of wannabees

I think it's a lack of any sense of responsibility for others. The same attitude that allows people to ignore a persons screams for help because they "don't want to get involved".

[CB..]

they just calculated the odds and said "hard luck mate"---they had back up radio communication supplies good enough for the ascent/descent--40 people ---"you are the weakest link--goodbye" is what they basically said

[scandium]

Originally Posted by CB..

heck i'm no climber---but what are the odds that these climbers were --ahem --dare i even say it let alone think it in todays atmosphere of political correctness---climbing as a LifeStyle option-- not as a life-long passion-

yup that's it IMO they were after the bragging rights down the pub everything else including human beings are expendable to those in true persuit of a lifestyle

never could there be a clearer instance of people who dearly need to "get a life" then this bunch of wannabees

Pretty safe bet that they more likely fell within the category of "extreme thrill seekers" (ie: tourists) rather than real enthusiasts or professional climbers. Though even then I don't know how they rationalized their actions. I suppose they simply thought a human life worth less than whatever their trip cost them.