A British mountaineering guide has been rescued from the slopes of Mount Everest after surviving six harrowing days on a diet of chocolate and melted ice. The climber, named as John Anderson, 34, from Kendal, was separated from his team during a storm on Monday and presumed lost. He was found yesterday by a search party, weak but alive, in a crevasse 7,000 metres up the mountain.
Anderson’s survival has been hailed as a testament to British fortitude, with rescuers saying he showed 'exceptional endurance' in the face of extreme cold and altitude. He survived on a single bar of chocolate and scoops of ice, which he melted in his mouth to avoid dehydration. Anderson is now recovering at base camp, where he described the ordeal as 'a test of will'.
The incident is the latest in a season that has already claimed several lives on the peak. Sherpa guides have warned that climate change is making conditions more treacherous, with unpredictable storms and melting ice routes. For the families of those who have perished, Anderson’s rescue offers a glimmer of hope.
But for those on the ground, the fight for survival continues.
