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TV channel bows to pressure over footage of climber's death
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by jakedai | February 7, 2007 at 09:02 am
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Russell is a great man, an excellent expedition leader, and one who has aborted expeditions many times in the past to conduct rescues. I have no doubt whatsoever that Russ would have engaged in a rescue operation for David Sharp if he indeed deemed it possible to pull it off. But, as Russ points out in the article below, his #1 priority as a guide and expedition leader was to the safety of his team and doing his best to ensure their safe return. Russ did what he decided was the right move at the time, and we cannot judge his behavior with 20/20 hindsight from our comfy seats and heated dwellings.
May future climbers learn from the tragedy of David Sharp's death and the many, many who have died before him in pursuit of the summit. I have had the good fortune to stand on top twice, and while it is a wonderful experience, it is but one part of a great mountain, a fabulous journey, and is certainly not worth the sacrifice of one's life.
TV channel bows to pressure over footage of climber's deathBy Helen Cook
A TV channel has agreed not to show footage of the last moments of a tragic mountaineer after pleas from his family.
The death of North-East climber David Sharp angered many people around the globe when it was revealed that as many as 40 people passed him as he lay dying near the summit of Mount Everest.
Guides wearing camera helmets were filming at the time, and Mr Sharp's last moments were captured during preparation for the documentary on The Discovery Channel. The programme will be aired tomorrow night, and channel bosses have agreed with the wishes of Mr Sharp's family not to include footage of their son.
Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland MP Dr Ashok Kumar campaigned on behalf of the family.
He said: "I am pleased that producers have bowed to the wishes of the family.
"If it had been shown, it would have been voyeuristic to say the least, and could have ended up on the internet and paraded around on sites like www.youtube.com
"I am glad that commonsense has prevailed."
Mr Sharp, a 34-year-old engineer from Guisborough, east Cleveland, climbed alone and is believed to have conquered his goal on May 14. Shortly after he began his descent, he fell ill with altitude sickness and hypothermia.
One man, Russell Brice, was criticised for not ordering a rescue operation for the unconscious Mr Sharp.
Mr Brice runs the Himalayan Experience and is known as the King of Everest. But the 54-year-old came under fire for saying Sharp was beyond help.
The veteran expedition leader told the Daily Mirror newspaper at the weekend: "Sharp was in a bad state by the time my teams got to him.
"There was nothing they could do for him. I could not put the lives of my clients at risk to try and save someone who was really beyond saving. It was doubtful whether we could have got him down.
"And if we had, what would he have been like? Amputated arms, amputated legs, maybe brain damage.
"People have looked at this incident in a very black and white way, and you can't."
Mr Brice has promised Mr Sharp's parents that when he returns to Everest in the spring, he will attempt to move their son's body.
* Everest: Beyond The Limit begins at 10pm tomorrow on the Discovery Channel.
8:54am Monday 5th February 2007
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jakedai
Golden, Colorado, United States
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at 12:08 on February 7th, 2007
At NowPublic, this is high praise from NowPublic editors! Your story is now on the home page for awhile, and everywhere else the “good stuff” box shows up. Many thanks for your great work.