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Xixabangma mountaineers almost lost their lives: team leader
Channel News Asia - 29 April 2002
By Asha Popatlal
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Two mountaineers in a team of three trying to climb Mount Xixabangma without oxygen, almost lost their lives when they fell into a snowy crevasse. In an exclusive videophone interview from Tibet, team leader Dr Robert Goh said the weather had not been kind at all for the mountaineers.They had to bear harsh winds blowing between 150 and 250 km an hour and punishing temperatures of minus 30 degrees. One climber suffered mild hypothermia while the others were hit with frostbite. They were forced to abandon their acclimatisation climb over the weekend and return to Advanced Base Camp.
To add to the drama, two of the climbers fell into a crevasse on their way back down - into a hole caused by ice movement and covered by snow.

Dr Goh said: "Mok fell into a crevasse, a huge hole in the ground that goes down hundreds of metres. Fortunately, Mok was tied to the rest of us by rope and we were able to haul him up. "Later, when I fell into the hole, you can just see your life flashing fast and then, there was no time to think of anything but how to get out of the hole. Because if you fall in and the rope snaps, you are 100 metres down and chances of survival are slim," he added. Locals said they have not seen weather this bad in years.

An American team has already abandoned its expedition, due to severe frostbite.For the Singapore team, the plan now is to wait out the bad weather as conditions have become avalance-prone due to heavy snow. But they still plan another assault. Dr Goh said: "Every time you launch an assault on the mountains at 6000, 7000 feet, your body just wastes away and you can't afford too many of these ups and downs on the mountains."