The family of Arun Kumar Tiwari, a 53-year-old Hyderabad-based tech professional who died while descending Mount Everest last week, has decided not to bring back his body. The family has cited faith, Kumar's love for the Himalayas and the near-impossible task of recovering his body from the “death zone”.
Kumar died last week near the Hillary Step, which is located just below the summit at an altitude of over 8,000 metres. According to the Times of India, expedition organiser Pioneer Adventure initially quoted $114,000 (around Rs 1.1 crore) for retrieval of the body, later reducing it to $94,000 as a concession. This is one of the factors that has prompted Kumar's family to decide not to retrieve the body as they believed leaving him on the mountain was in line with his wishes and faith.
What Is The Death Zone?
Mount Everest, the world's highest peak at 8,849 metres (29,032 feet), stands on the border of Nepal and Tibet. Reaching the summit is one of the toughest challenges in mountaineering, in which climbers face freezing temperatures, dangerous icefalls and severe oxygen shortage.
One of the hardest sections of this peak is the Hillary Step. This is a steep 40-foot rock face located in Everest's most dangerous area, known as the “death zone”.
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According to BBC, “death zone” was coined by Swiss doctor Edouard Wyss-Dunant during a 1952 Everest expedition. The death zone begins above 8,000 metres (26,000 feet), where oxygen levels are too low for the human body to function properly. At such extreme heights, climbers can suffer organ failure, confusion and exhaustion. Most deaths on Everest have occurred in this region, which also claimed Kumar's life.
While some bodies have been recovered, many have not. More than 200 still remain on Everest, according to a report by BBC. Many are left there as per their final wishes, while for others, a traditional funeral service comes at a heavy cost and remains a very difficult challenge.
Why Is It So Expensive To Retrieve Bodies?
In a report by Washington Post, mountaineer Alan Arnette explained that the work is both expensive and very dangerous for Sherpas, who usually carry out such missions. The first challenge is reaching the body itself, which is often located in very high and risky areas of the mountain.
A frozen body on Everest can weigh much more than in normal conditions. Arnette explained that a person who weighs around 80 kilograms may become nearly 150 kilograms when ice and snow are attached to the body. This is why, at least six to 10 sherpas may be needed to carry out the mission to bring the body back.
To move the body, Sherpas usually place it in a sled or wrap it in strong fabric, then secure ropes and carefully slide it down to lower camps. The process is slow and highly risky, which is a challenge as sherpas themselves are not supposed to spend more than 48 hours in the “death zone”.
As there is no wood or fuel at high altitude to cremate bodies, they must be brought down far enough for helicopters to carry them. This adds another major challenge. The Post report added that between base camp and the summit, there are four camps. As the air is too thin higher up, helicopters usually cannot land above Camp 2, which is around 21,000 feet on Everest. There is also a risk of landslides or avalanches.
Due to these concerns, it is usually decided to leave the bodies in the mountains, like it has been done in the case of Kumar.
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