Climbing mount Everest is the ultimate challenge. Many do it because it is their profession, some for the glory alone. Some do it for sport, others because of the thrill.
It is probably the most dangerous endeavor, aside from space exploration, here on earth. And one would not imagine that people would be caught in a drag down, to the end brawl between mountaineers and their sherpas. But that is exactly what happened last week.
Involved in the fight were two renown mountaineers, Euli Steck of Switzerland and Simone Moro of Italy. The two were not far below the peak of the mountain, at 24,500 feet, when the premise to the fight occurred.
Steck and Moro have the dubious reputation of having sparked the brawl when their sherpas told them to wait as they climbed to rig the roping for the remaining ascent and neglected to do so.
But the two, who were attempting a 29,029 foot climb with a photographer, ignored the sherpas and kept on climbing. As they did, ice and snow started pelting the sherpas below, still intent at securing the ropes.
The sherpas got angry at the insult, and the danger, of being showered by the two alpinists.
Later in the day, in some settling of the score, Nepalese nationals started pelting the two Europeans' tents with stones, until the two came out, at which point the fight became mano a mano.
Some witnesses say the fight became extremely dangerous, and some of the fighters almost got killed. The Nepal police has ordered an inquiry into the incident.
After the Swiss climber received treatment, at base camp, he returned to the higher encampment where Moro was still waiting. It is unclear whether the two will resume their attempt at the feat.
Source: France 24/ 4.29.13
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