An unprecedented brawl recently popped off near the Everest summit, and early reports blamed the Nepalese Sherpas rather than the European climbers.
Famed climber Simone Moro wrote on his website:
The Sherpas said that the reason they attacked the climbers was because they had knocked ice down on a Sherpa below. As it stands no Sherpa has come forward to show any injury. Furthermore on an ice face getting hit by chunks of ice is a very natural occurrence. The climbers believe that the lead Sherpa was tired and cold and felt that his pride had been damaged as the three climbers were moving unroped and much faster to the side of him. Whatever the reason may be, there is no reason to instigate vigilante rule and to try and kill three visiting climbers.
An alternate account in Outside magazine, however, makes the Sherpas look more reasonable.
Garret Madison, another famous climber who has made the summit several times, is familiar with the parties involved and listened to all the radio chatter as the situation developed.
Everyone agrees that the conflict started when climbers ignored an agreement not to climb a certain route where Sherpas were doing repairs.
The Sherpas and the climbers shouted each other at this point, notably "a high intensity environment where people’s instincts are at a heightened state," according to Madison.
The brawl didn't start until back at base camp, however, when a Western climber got physical, according to Madison.
As the western guides spoke to Simone, Sherpas from many different teams congregated as a result of his radio call from the Lhotse face and wanted to speak with Simone and get an apology, and to explain to him how difficult their job had been that day. The Sherpas who were together felt that Simone’s words and interactions were both hurtful to the individuals, as well as grave and serious insults to the entire Sherpa community. As the Sherpas approached Simone’s camp, tensions were high and they wanted to have a discussion with an already angered Simone. Then Simone came out to talk and both sides approached each other in loud discussion, at which point a careless western climber who had not been involved up on the Lhotse face arrived and entangled physically with a Sherpa. This was the ignition for what ensued next.
The next day, Madison mentions to Moro's credit, that Moro refused to leave the camp without apologizing to the Sherpas. He was apologized to in return, and all parties left each other in peace.
Read Madison's full account at Outside >
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