KATHMANDU: ignoring visible chances of disaster to happen, eight people including three: Indians lost their lives to the lure of conquering world’s tallest Mount Everest, Out of remaining five one was American and four New Zealanders. They were aware of the obvious risks that an avalanche could bury them. They could die of hypothermia or from lack of oxygen at high altitudes; however, such fears didn’t deter die hard thrill seekers.
The question everyone is asking is why they didn’t’ stop? “Itisdifficult1o explain to someone who doesn’t feel it,” says former US Congresswoman Jolene Unsowed, who lost her husband and daughter to the lures of high peaks. Herself an avid mountaineer, Jolene feels that “life is not meant to be wrapped in a cocoon of total safety” she can’t wait till her grandchildren grow up and climb with her.
The excitement which such nerve racking acts bring, overcome mountaineer’s fear of death. Sometimes, inexperienced, they like such brave adventures so much that in the absence of which their own lives seem boring and purposeless.
This latest tragedy touches the nerves of everyone as the questions linger about whether mountaineers should risk their own lives to lead inexperienced thrill seekers into one of the most dangerous\living conditions on the earth.
Article extracted from this publication >> May 22, 1996
