원정 개요

The expedition's high point was C3, which had been pitched at 6800m on 22 September by their two Sherpas, Dorje Gyalzen and Lhakpa Wangchu. The Sherpas went down to BC that day, the 22nd, while the three climbing members, Costa, Lecluse and Plake, stayed there that night.

Early the next morning a serac fell above C3 and set off a slab avalanche that was fatal. Costa and Plake were in one tent, Lecluse in another. Plake was the only survivor: he was hit by the side of his tent, swept down 300-400m and ended up in a crevasse, badly bruised all over his body. But he was not buried by the debris; he was conscious, but dazed; he managed to crawl out of the crevasse. Costa who shared the same tent, had "totally disappeared," said Plake. Lecluse, his separated tent and all its contents including Lecluse, had also vanished.

Plake descended from C2 to BC on oxygen and left the mountain as quickly as possible. He flew out of Samagaon in a helicopter on the 26th.

Sherpas:
Dorje Gyalzen, 16/7/82, Pangboche, Everest X10, Manaslu X2, Cho Oyu X1
Lhakpa Wangchu, 23/10/86, Pangboche, Everest X8, Manaslu X3, Lhotse X1