Australian man recovers after Everest rescue
An Australian man has reportedly been rescued from the north face of Mount Everest after he was found unconscious on the mountain.
According to China Daily, the Australian was found at 7500 metres last week and brought down the mountain by a rescue crew from the Tibet Himalaya Expedition Company.
In a statement, a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokeswoman said an Australian was recovering in hospital in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal.
The man, who has not been identified, was initially in a critical condition, but has since stabilised, according to China Daily. He was transferred to Base Camp last Thursday by a team of 10 rescuers and a yak.
The summit of Mount Everest, where mountaineers sometimes queue for hours to stand on a small piece of ground and take photos, has been described as "Lord of the Flies at 8800 metres".
In the above video from Mingma Gyalje Sherpa, an experienced mountaineer who has tackled Everest multiple times, climbers face the long wait to get to the top on May 22 this year.
It is not clear whether the waiting times contributed to the Australian climber's medical condition.
A hard ask gets harder
Poor regulations, poverty and ill-prepared climbers have exacerbated the already demanding physical challenge of ascending the mountain.
Insurance companies and the Nepalese government have moved to address unscrupulous operators who equip travellers with substandard oxygen tanks and airlift climbers at the slightest sign of trouble to cash in on insurance payouts.
Nepal, the country from which most people begin their Everest ascent, is one of the poorest in Asia. Its government has issued more permits to climb the mountain this year than before, despite growing concerns about overcrowding.
With waiting times rising on the mountain at altitudes where every minute taxes the body, at least 10 people have died on Everest this season while 20 people have died on mountains higher than 8000 metres, including Everest, according to the Himalayan Times.