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Morin died 1 May at fixed rope 6600m; avalanche hit Berquet and Germain 18 Apr [also Dawa Gyalzen and Chowang Rinzee]; local porter killed returning from BC to ferry another load to BC from dump.


Dr Muller-Esterl, German Annapurna Ski Expedition - 17 March 80

French skier Morin probably died instantly from sudden compression of his heart, which stopped when severely compressed. One can live for 5 minutes without oxygen but not when heart suddenly stops.


Germain - 8 May 79

Accident 1st May.

30 April - Germain, Morin and Sigayret went up and Germain stopped 30m below top to take photos; it was late and windy. Morin and Sigayret on top at 16:30 hours. Morin immediately began skiing down from summit to C6.

1 May on skis from C6 Morin (1st), Sigayret, Germain, Berquet and Renard on skis to C3. At 6600m Morin was stopped too fast by rope around his chest clipped into traversing fixed rope across icefall (at the cycle) and could not breathe - called for help. Germain tried to ease tension but Morin dead in 5 minutes after he called, probably heart stopped. Morin in difficult zone alone because in such an area one moves alone

Berquet and Germain took body top at foot of serac to small crevasse and put body in crevasse - too dangerous to take to BC. Berquet and Germain had already been hit by avalanche.

To C3 on 1 May on foot: expedition had done this section: Georges skied down from C4 to C1 and below about 27 April.

2 May no more skiing down as had done this section before, earlier in expedition. Morin only man to have skied all sections.

Morin died at about 6600m but had skied from C4 to C3 after having made route to C4 including putting in fixed rope traverese where he died. So one can say Morin skied down Annapurna I. Would have gone all the way down on 1 May if not killed.

No Sherpas above C2 after avalanche. Sirdar Dawa [Gyalzen] hit on nose by ice block and nose broken and other Sherpa's knee twisted.

French on French route and Japanese on Dutch route - good relations. Japanese 5 May must make summit attempt, but much wind way have stopped them from or in attempt.

Today helicopter may bring 3 members and another helicopter after 1 or 2 days. 5 go to France quickly together and Germain waits few more days for baggage via helicopter to Pokhara.


M. Cheney - 3 April 79

Hope to come to KTM in 1st week of May by helicopter. Have asked French embassy to arrange helicopter.


Shailendra Raj Sharma - 2 April 79

French Annapurna I local porter killed when he slipped in snow at 15,000 ft while returning from BC on 27 March.


Renard - 10 March 79

Annapurna Premier 8000 a Ski. All now in KTM. Leave KTM 13 or 14 March to Pokhara by road. Leave Pokhara 14 or 15 march Pokhara with about 100 porters taking perhaps. 4 weeks to BC.

BC at usual site about 4500m with 5 camps above BC but C1 and C3 maybe transit and C5 very light more like biv. C5 in place 3 weeks after BC.

Six members likely to go to summit. Doctor less likely to highest peak so for from which skiing has been done is Nashaq in Hindu Kush in Afghanistan (7500m) by Austrians last summer.