A British mountaineering guide has survived six days stranded on Everest, subsisting on chocolate and melted ice. The climber, identified as James Henderson, 34, from Cumbria, was part of a commercial expedition when a sudden storm separated him from his team above the Khumbu Icefall. Henderson hunkered down in a crevasse, rationing two chocolate bars and drinking water from melted ice.
His ordeal ended when a search party spotted his red jacket. The British Mountaineering Council (BMC) released a statement praising his 'extraordinary resilience and mountaineering skill.' Henderson is now receiving medical treatment in Kathmandu.
The incident raises questions about safety protocols on the peak, with critics pointing to overcrowding and inadequate emergency response. Whitehall sources say the Foreign Office has been monitoring the situation, but there are no plans for an official inquiry. The story has captured the public imagination, with #EverestSurvivor trending on social media.
A quick poll suggests the public views Henderson as a 'hero,' but insiders note that the climbing community is more cautious, aware of how close he came to disaster.
