Posted: May 22, 2006 05:00 pm EDT
Abramov just reported the following sad news:
"May, 22 in the morning after breakfast at 12 a.m., the team was ready to start their descent from camp at 7800 meters to the North Col (7000 meters). 15 meters from his tent Igor Plyushkin complained that he didn't feel well. He notified the guides that he had difficulty to breath."

1,5 hour struggle to save his life

"Igor was administered supplementary oxygen. The flow was increased from two to four litres per minute, but without effect.
In a struggle for his life that lasted for an hour and a half, Igor also received Adrenalin shots but to no avail. At 1.45 pm local time the guides were forced to verify death."

Sky burial

"Igor was buried in place on the mountain. His remains were photographed, and the body was wrapped in a sleeping bag and covered with rocks at 7800 meters. At 7 p.m. the rest of the team reached ABC, at 6400 meters."

"Igor Plyushkin, 54, was a skilled mountaineer and a Snow Leopard (he had climbed all 7000meters summits of the former USSR)."

Alexander Abramov
Expedition leader

Russian Igor Plyushkin is the 10th confirmed casualty in the Everest area this year. So far, the north side has claimed 6 climbers, and the south side 3 plus one on the Lhotse face.

May 18, Brazilian climber Vitor Negrete perished on descent after a no 02 summit. Vitor climbed alone but managed to call his sherpa who went up and helped him to camp 3, where Vitor later died of altitude.

Vitor died only 2 days after learning that his team mate British David Sharp had vanished on his summit bid. Both climbers were outfitted by Asian trekking, and climbing the north side. Asian Trekking has not yet provided information on the time, location or cause of David Sharp's death.

May 16, Swedish Tomas Olsson died on Everest North face in an attempt to ski down the Norton couloir with team mate Tormod Granheim. Tomas' snow anchor broke loose at a rock outcrop section and he fell from 8500 meters. Tormod free climbed down after his mate but found only gear scattered around. Tomas body was discovered by a Sherpa at 6700 meters Saturday. Both climbers were unguided, sharing permit with an international group organized by Arun Treks & Expeditions.

This past weekend, French climber Jacques-Hugues Letrange died on descent from the summit. The French mountaineer had climbed Everest from its North side with his wife Caroline. No details have been released.

April 21, three Sherpas died in the Everest south side icefall, due to a massive serac collapsing: Ang Phinjo Sherpa was hired by IMG, Lhakpa Tseri and Dawa Temba were employed by Asian Trekking on an expedition listed as led by Douglas Tumminello & Apa Sherpa (Team No Limit) climbing the south side.

April 7, an un-named Sherpa reportedly working for "an American team" on Everest north side became ill in ABC and died in BC.

May 5, Czech climber Pavel Kalny fell to his death on the Lhotse wall (shared route with Everest south side). Pavel Kalny climbed with seasoned Czech climber Martin Minarik at the time of the fall. Pavel was found the next day by a team of Sherpas and a Chilean doctor who helped him down, but the climber died short of camp 3. Details from Martin are expected this week.

In terms of fatalities, the 2006 Everest season is now second only to the 1996 spring season which claimed 12 lives.

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