원정 개요

Left C3 on 14 May at 3:30 am (NST) - on top: first was Hoonaert, then Boons, then very soon afterwards Van Praet, then Morel and de Hemptinne together, finally at 11:30 am Georges. Tirtha Tamang about same time as Boons and Van Praet. Strong winds that day.

1st summit bid from C3 on 12 May Murawski and Dorje went up to top but turned back at about 7900m because of strong winds and Murawski having breathing trouble, so back to C3 where Murawski used oxygen to revive himself and then down to C1 same day.

All saw Everest from top. Van Praet got cerebral hemorrhage at ABC on 17 May early in morning; was given oxygen, started getting confused, given valium and cortizone whereby got seizures. With help of Duncan Chessell and his Sherpa Pema Tenji helped organize stretcher (while Japanese stood by and took pictures of Belgian in distress) and went with Belgians rescue party to Nangpa La. Rescue party of doctor Smets, Georges, De Sommer, Hoonaert, Morel and Thirtha Tamang and 8 Tibetans carried Van Praet on stretcher to Nangpa La at border with Nepal. Left ABC at 11:00 am on 17 May, arrived at Nangpa La at 1:30 pm and to 5300m at 4:00 pm on Nepalese side (site of base camps of teams who used to cross illegally to climb Cho Oyu) to wait for helicopter to land there. The Nepalese helicopter landed at 5300m at 8:30 or 9:00 am on 18 May and Van Praet and doctor flew to Kathmandu, where Van Praet was hospitalized until flight to Belgium was arranged.

Only 11 [at the end] because Van Praet and Smets left by helicopter to Kathmandu, Louwagie left 24 April after getting cerebral edema and DeVolder, Rondas and Van Den Broek left 12 May after knowing they were not going to summit.