In addition to its status as the highest mountain in the world, Everest is also arguably the 'highest tomb on Earth'. Yes, it is estimated that between 200 and 300 climbers have died there since the attempted conquest of the mountain began, with many of the bodies still buried under the ice.
Interestingly, a natural phenomenon managed to make the bodies appear to the surface. It is the rapid melting of the ice sheets on Everest so that previously hidden corpses can be seen.
"Due to global warming, the ice sheet is melting rapidly and the bodies that were buried for years are now starting to be seen," said Ang Tshering Sherpa, former president of the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) some time ago.
Several studies have shown that the glaciers on Everest, or almost the entire Himalayas, are melting and thinning. One such study in 2015 showed a pool in the Khumbu Glacier, which climbers must pass to reach the summit, widens due to the accelerated melting of the ice.
The expansion of the Khumbu Glacier also led to the appearance of corpses of climbers. This was acknowledged by Tshering Pandey Bhote, Vice President of the Nepal National Mountain Guides Association. The location itself is said to be the place with the highest corpse appearance rate.
"But most climbers are mentally prepared to see such a sight when crossing," Tshering added, as quoted by the BBC, Sunday (2/7/2022).
Then, in 2016, the Nepalese army had to drain Imja Lake near Everest. This is because the increased water capacity from melting glaciers has reached a dangerous level.
Then, last year, a team of researchers excavated the Khumbu Glacier and found the ice to be warmer than expected. The coldest ice was -3.3 degrees Celsius, or 2 degrees Celsius warmer than the annual average.
Evacuating corpses from Everest costs a lot of money. Some experts put the cost to remove the bodies in the range of USD 40,000 to USD 80,000.
For your information, the cost to climb Everest for one person ranges from USD 30,000 to USD 130,000. So, there is a possibility, the cost of transporting the corpse is more expensive than the cost of climbing. Moreover, it was not very easy to transport the corpses down.
"One of the evacuations with the biggest challenges was when doing it from an altitude of 8,700 meters, near the peak. The body was completely frozen and could weigh 150 kilograms, and it had to be evacuated from a difficult place at that altitude," said Ang Tshering Sherpa, former president of the NMA.
Besides being expensive and difficult, matters involving corpses on Everest are actually very personal. "Most climbers prefer to have their bodies left on the mountain if they die," says Alan Arnett, a writer who focuses on climbing activities.
"So if the body is moved, the act will be considered disrespectful, unless it must be moved from the climbing route or a request from the family," he said.