Helicopters Shuttling Climbers down From Camp 1

Jacob called this morning from EBC with some updates.  The earthquakes/aftershocks of the 26th pretty much sealed off the icefall route, but this morning there are 3 B3 helicopters shuttling the 80 or so climbers down who are still above the Khumbu Icefall in Camp 1 and Camp 2.   Search and cleanup continues at Everest Base Camp today as the few who remain in EBC comb through the wreckage and debris looking for any other victims.  The number of missing climbers is unknown right now as so many have left for home and are unaccounted for.   There are 17 confirmed dead at EBC.

Good weather this morning is helping with the helicopter flights, but fuel and load limitations make it a lengthy process with each flight bringing only 2 climbers down.   The helicopters struggle in the thin air to fly to the top of the icefall at over 20,000 ft.   The helicopter pilots just put enough fuel on to make the short flight up to pick up climbers, and return, so they are light on fuel and need to fuel up frequently.

Jacob is doing well and plans to remain at base camp until all of our team is evacuated from above the icefall.  They may just wait a few more days in EBC, as reports from down the valley indicate that many villages have significant damage, including the largest village of Namche.   The small number of people who remain at EBC have enough food to wait up there for a bit.

Scott Holder is OK and still in Lukla, hoping to get to Kathmandu by plane or helicopter later today.

David and Alisha Germer have just hopped on a bus from Pokhara to Kathmandu and hope to be there late today.

 

 

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