KILLARNEY based adventurer Pat Falvey, who is currently leading a team on a gruelling climb to the Mount Everest base camp, said he is in a state of shock and disbelief after 14 climbers ahead of them on the mountain were killed in an avalanche.
The worst accident to hit the world’s highest peak resulted in the deaths of sherpas and Nepalise mountaineers at an altitude of about 5,800m in an area known as the popcorn field.
One survivor said the avalanche, which struck soon after daybreak, came out of nowhere with a huge block of ice falling directly on the climbers.
Falvey, who lives in Beaufort, posted on his Facebook page that he and the other Irish team were safe and well and were resting before an attempt on Kalla-Patthar, a notable landmark that provides the most accessible point to view Everest from base camp to peak.
“Even though excited, the team are saddened about the loss of life higher on the mountain. There are still a few climbers unaccounted for,” he said.
“Everyone is in a state of disbelief about what has happened so low on Everest. The rescue continues all day today and the rescue services have made a number of flights to take the bodies from the mountain,” he added.
As a direct result of the disaster, all climbing above Base Camp has been postponed until further notice.
