Thomas only said: <I'm dead>, and lost consciousness
🗓 2006-05-30
From May 21 to May 25, the weather on Everest was exceptionally good and calm. On May 25, at 12 o'clock at night, a team consisting of Lincoln Hall (Australia), Thomas Weber (Germany), guide Harri Kikstra (Holland), accompanied by 5 high-altitude Sherpa porters, left the camp at 8300 m for the ascent.
The group carried a large amount of oxygen with them, since part of the group had abandoned the climb and there were about 20 extra cylinders in camp 8300. At 9:00, Lincoln Hall, accompanied by three Sherpas, climbed to the summit at a good pace and happily radioed about it.
At 9:15, Harri Kikstra reported that Thomas Weber, a visually impaired climber, had completely lost his sight and in this condition, traversing the rocks to the summit at 8800 meters seemed almost impossible.
After conferring, Thomas, Harry and two Sherpas began their descent at 9:30, 50 meters short of the summit.
At 10:00 Lincoln Hall reached the snow triangle on the descent, at an altitude of 8800 meters. And at that moment the Sherpas reported that Lincoln began to move down very poorly, coordination was lost. At 10:30, Lincoln lay down in the snow and could no longer get down on his own. The Sherpas began transportation work.
At 11:30, two Sherpas were sent from the ABC camp with oxygen at a flow rate of 4 liters per minute to help the climbers. They should have brought extra oxygen, drinks, etc.
Suddenly, at 12:20, Harry Kikstra reported that he, Thomas and two Sherpas were at the level of the Second Stage, altitude 8700 meters. Thomas collapsed, Thomas only said: “I died” and lost consciousness. At 12:40 a death was recorded.
Harry took a photograph of the deceased and sent one of the Sherpas up to help transport Lincoln. Then he and one of the Sherpas went down.
...
Conclusions: in the 2006 season on Everest a record number of climbers died, according to our information - 15 people. Oddly enough, the reason this was solely good, calm weather, unnatural for Everest, which lasted from May 10 to 25. This weather allowed a large number of climbers to reach the summit who, in harsher conditions, would likely have abandoned the climb at lower altitudes. The summit has become a trap for climbers with hidden health problems.
Head of the 7 Summits Club expedition to Everest Alexander Abramov and executive secretary Lyudmila Korobeshko