Video of Everest Avalanche as SA Team Leader Blogs from the Scene

The South African team who were on Mount Everest when a large avalanche hit on Saturday are reported to be heading home. The team was halfway through their trip when the avalanche was triggered by Nepal’s devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake which has left over 3,600 dead.

Footage of the avalanche cascading down the mountain was captured and uploaded by German hiker Jost Kobusch (see below).

According to reports from Netwerk24 at least 10 South Africans have been trapped on the mountain between base camp and camps one and two, including Saray Khumalo (43) who was hoping to be the first black woman to ascend Mount Everest. All the South Africans are reported to have survived the disaster which claimed the lives of approximately 17 climbers in the Himalayan mountains this weekend.

Ubuntu Everest reported that some of the climbers have already been rescued by helicopter from Camp 1, but it is still uncertain how and when the rest will be rescued.

South African team leader Sean Wisedale wrote in a blog post yesterday “Where to now? After yesterday’s horrific shake up and horrific avalanche we are on highly tenterhooks. This afternoon the team had a discussion about our options. Shortly afterwards we again felt the earth shake.

“We all ran into the centre of the camp rotating in all directions to try and see from where the rocks and avalanche would come from and to try to find a suitable shield. It’s so unstable now that rock fall and minor avalanches occur consistently. It’s the big thundering monsters we are frightened of – like yesterday’s.

“You might ask why we don’t get the hell out of dodge? We could but there is nowhere to go that is any safer than were we are right now. We survived yesterday because of the position of our camp. We’re protected by being centrally away from the ice laden slopes and we’re surrounded by large glacial pools and deep empty motes. Moving down the valley exposes us to rock fall off the slopes should there be another quake.

“The circumstances we face are dire. As I lie here writing this, the ground is moving beneath me. My heart leaps every time the earth moves. I can’t get used to it. It feels like we’re afloat and there is massive power and force behind the movements. These are the after shocks. Still, I am worried that something more violent may happen so my greatest hope is that Mother Natures will settle down. History tells us that after the storm there will always be a calm. I hope the storm has passed.”

Today Sean wrote that he awoke this morning to “noisy, powerful helicopters” flying overhead. After punching his tent’s fly sheet to knock off the ice and snow he said he stepped outside to a frosty and clear day.

In his blog post, titled “Mt Everest Expedition 2015 – BC avalanche – Too many unanswerable questions” – Sean sombrely wrote: “They were busy evacuating climbers from above the impassable ice fall.

“I walked to the improvised helipad after a cup of overly sweet Sherpa tea. Three frozen corpses bound in sleeping bags and tarps await an airlift. There is no urgency as the mortuary in muggy Kathmandu is at capacity.

“Tibetan prayer flags fly from the chortens – ironically. Two rescued climbers are greeted ducking under the blades of the chopper. They are in tears elated to be alive.

“So much mayhem so instantly in such a spiritual place. Too many unanswerable questions in my mind right now.”

Other members of the SA team include Rob Bentley, Marlette (Molly) Hegyi, Wilmien van der Merwe, Nico Oosthuizen, Lysle Turner, Ronnie Muhl, Donna McTaggart, Katlego Letheo and Elizabeth Bool.

Belinda Bentley spoke via satellite phone with Rob yesterday and reported that “he sounded drained and shocked but alive.”

View Video – Hit by Avalanche in Everest Basecamp 25.04.2015

Uploaded by Jost Kobusch – “The ground was shaking from the earthquake and as soon as we saw people running we were running ourselves to save our lives.”