April 30, 2001

From: The NFB Everest Team

PV talks on the radio with our base camp and learns about the tragic accident of fellow climber Babu Chiri Sherpa falling into a crevasse near Camp 2. Photo Didrik Johnck.

Today the members of our expedition are deeply saddened by the death of Babu Chiri Sherpa on Mount Everest. Babu was a hero to Nepal and a friend to many people around the world. Our hearts go out to Babu's family and friends.

Babu was walking alone near Camp Two and fell into a crevasse suffering fatal injuries. Sherpas carried his body down to Base Camp this afternoon. Babu's sudden tragic death is difficult and emotionally trying to reconcile. He was a shining star on Mount Everest, to the people of Nepal, and to the international mountaineering community. One of the world's great mountaineers, Babu had summited Everest 10 times, intentionally spent the night on the summit, and has climbed from Base Camp to the summit in 16 hours and 56 minutes, setting an almost unimaginable record. He will be dearly missed by each of us who knew him, more because of his quiet charm and friendly smile than his mountaineering achievements. Now the members of this expedition, Sherpas and those of us from the USA, turn our thoughts and prayers to those who he has left behind. He is survived by his wife and six daughters. One of his dreams had been to take one of his daughters to the summit of Mount Everest in 2002.

As we go forward on and off the mountain we will hope to conduct ourselves in a manner that is respectful to the family and friends of Babu Chiri Sherpa. We will honor and remember Babu as the inspiring friend that he was.