First group of tourists rescued near Everest.
Reuters
2011-11-07
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First group of hikers rescued from a mountain near Everest after cloudy skies left thousands of tourists stranded there for several days. Deborah Gembara reports.
Clearer skies on Sunday made it possible for a military plane to reach a mountain near Everest and rescue 18 tourists trapped on the slopes. Thick cloud cover has kept an estimated 2,000 foreign hikers stranded on Lukla for several days.
While these tourists were able to make it out to Katmandau , military helicopters flying later in the day were forced to turn around due to changes in visibility.
SOUNDBITE: Brigadier General Ravindra Chhetri saying:
"Let's keep our fingers crossed, if everything goes well tomorrow, we along with private airlines should be able to bring most of the tourists back to Katmandu."
Climbers and hikers from all over the world gravitate to the Nepal's mountainous northeast region each years --- typically beginning their treks at Lukla -- which is considered the gateway to Everest.
Deborah Gembara, Reuters.
Clearer skies on Sunday made it possible for a military plane to reach a mountain near Everest and rescue 18 tourists trapped on the slopes. Thick cloud cover has kept an estimated 2,000 foreign hikers stranded on Lukla for several days.
While these tourists were able to make it out to Katmandau , military helicopters flying later in the day were forced to turn around due to changes in visibility.
SOUNDBITE: Brigadier General Ravindra Chhetri saying:
"Let's keep our fingers crossed, if everything goes well tomorrow, we along with private airlines should be able to bring most of the tourists back to Katmandu."
Climbers and hikers from all over the world gravitate to the Nepal's mountainous northeast region each years --- typically beginning their treks at Lukla -- which is considered the gateway to Everest.
Deborah Gembara, Reuters.
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