 |
|
|
 |
|
IPPG
Newsletters: March 2003
INCIDENT REPORTS
|
|
| CB,
UK |
|
A freak accident
Nema and Chesonde (two porters) and myself were walking from
Tilicho Base Camp Lodge to Tilicho Tal. The weather was good.
After just over one hour the two porters were walking about
20m in front of me when Chesonde was struck by a large rock.
The cause of the rock being disturbed is unknown; the section
of path being comparatively safe.
Chesonde was killed instantly, due to a serious head injury
(I am a qualified First Aider). I sent a message to the Police
Post at Humde. The Police arrived the next afternoon for a
preliminary investigation. The Inspector from Chame arrived
the next day for a full investigation.
It was decided that a Post Mortem was required to show that
his death was not connected with rebel activities. The body
was then carried down to Khangsar, the next morning to Humde.
(…) The Post mortem was followed by a cremation, service
conducted by the Lama. Cremation is the norm in his village.
The following day there was a small service (purification),
when we were given a small piece of the skeleton to take back
to his village. The next day his ashes were scattered in the
river. Nema and I returned to Kathmandu by plane via Pokhara.
His father, uncle and brother came down from his village and
we met in Kathmandu.
I paid the father his full wages and 10% of the insurance
up front. The insurance is a long process but I am sure that
the claim will be successful in the end, as all procedures
have been followed. I paid all the expenses: Police, Doctor,
etc.
As everybody has told me it was a freak accident and I should
not blame myself. However this does not bring back a young
man of 20 years. This was the fifth trek Chesonde had done
with me. We often shared rooms or tents. In Pokhara we stayed
in the same hotel. Fortunately I can remember the good times
we had together and the experiences we shared like boating,
mountain biking and flying.
It was a personal tragedy for me and the recovery is slow.
Chesonde was always referred to as my Nepali son. I treated
him as my son.
Ed: Accidents happen, even when all the best precautions
are taken. This response was exemplary
|
| |
|
|
| LT,
Australia |
|
Young
porter at work
On my journey in the Annapurna region I was disappointed to
see a 10 year old carrying a heavy kitchen load, he was employed
by a well-known company and had just crossed the Throng La.
I spoke to the Guide and Sirdar attached to the group and
made it very clear that employing anyone under the age of
16 yrs is appalling. Since arriving home I have emailed the
company concerned and they were very concerned and advised
me that one of their clients also complained and that the
matter has been dealt with. I am sure that this particular
Guide and Sirdar will not make the same mistake again. If
you know of anyone going on a trek to Nepal please ask them
to follow up any incident that involves porters that is disturbing.
ED: If you come across incidents involving porters, contact
your IPPG rep. IPPG will contact the company and suggest ways
to improve their operation in a more sustainable way. IPPG
has a policy of not publicly naming companies or individuals
involved in incidents
|
| |
|
|
| Report
by Sandra Keats for National Geographic Adventure, November
15, 2002 |
|
Deaths
on Kilimanjaro Raise Concern About Porters' Safety
The death of three Tanzanian porters on Mount Kilimanjaro
nearly two months ago has raised concern about the plight
of local people hired to accompany trekkers/climbers scaling
the world's big peaks.
The three men died during a violent storm on the 19,340-foot
(5,895 meters) mountain-the highest peak in Africa. They were
not all in the same party, but are thought to have died of
hypothermia on the same day, September 17.
About 20,000 climbers attempt the ascent up Mount Kilimanjaro
every year. Fall is the prime climbing season because the
weather is relatively tame that time of year. This year, however,
the week of September 17 had the worst weather conditions
on the mountain that some people had seen in a dozen years.
"All week the rain was very heavy, with wind blowing
extraordinarily," said Debbie Addison, co-owner and manager
of South Africa-based Wild Frontiers. "Then there was
a sudden drop in temperature, compounded by the wind chill
coming down off the summit."
Her company had employed Anthony Minja, one of the porters
who died. According to a post-mortem report, 47-year-old Minja
died of acute cardiovascular failure, most likely related
to hypothermia and possibly altitude sickness. He had been
climbing along the Machame route with a group led by Wild
Frontiers' local operator in Tanzania, Keys Hotel and Tours,
when he decided to descend the mountain on his own.
He separated from the main group on the third day of the six-day
climb, and his body was later found at 12,630 feet (3,849
meters), between the Shira and Baranco camps. It had been
his first trip up Kilimanjaro as a porter.
The other two porters had been working for Tanzania-based
Zara International. One died along the Machame route, the
other while climbing the Marangu route. The exact causes of
their deaths was not reported, and no additional information
about them was available.
(full
article)
|
| |
|
|
| The
editor |
|
Death
on Mera Peak, problems in Gokyo valley
We heard rumours of between one and three porter deaths, but
only one dead porter was brought back from the Mera Peak trek
to Lukla. (It is very difficult to check reports and the police
are not forthcoming with statistics).
While in the Gokyo valley, we found a very sick porter (AMS)
sheltering beneath a boulder and alerted the French trekkers
involved. (They had no idea where their porters were sleeping
and were ashamed when they found out). This was at 4500 meters,
minus 5 ºC, a brisk breeze and light snow. |
|
|
|
