The government on Monday appealed to the Sherpas to reconsider their proposal to boycott Mount Everest expeditions this year, following the death of 13 of their men in an avalanche last week. A statement from the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation promised to look into their demands, including according high priority to make the expeditions more safe, reliable and attractive in the coming days.
Boycott warningAng Tshering Sherpa of the Nepal Mountaineering Association said Sherpa guides were considering a climbing boycott to press their demands. The guides who perished had left their base camp early on Friday morning to fix ropes for other climbers in Camp 1 when the avalanche hit them.
Twelve bodies were recovered later during search and rescue operation and another one the following day. Three of the Sherpas are still missing and search for them has been stopped due to extreme weather. The three are presumed dead.
Insurance demandThe Sherpas want the minimum insurance payment for those killed on Everest to be doubled to 20 lakh rupees, and a portion of the climbing revenue to be reserved for a relief fund.
The government has announced an emergency aid of 40,000 rupees (INR 25,5000) for the families of the deceased climbers, but the Sherpas said that was not enough.
A boycott could disrupt the plans of climbers waiting at the Everest base camp in Solukhumbu district in the eastern part of the country. There are about 400 foreign climbers from 39 expedition teams on the mountain.