Maoist blast update - No landmine, climbers attacked with 3 bombs
Apr 10, 2005 14: 19 EST
No, it was not a landmine. In a chat with one of the climbers in Kathmandu, ExplorersWeb has learned the details of the Maoist attack involving two Russian climbers en route from Kathmandu to the border town of Nyamare Saturday.
The Russians are part of a large expedition but were traveling on their own to catch up with their team on the border to Tibet.
Blasted away the whole floor
The two climbers and their driver were going up a hill when they were caught up by Maoists who threw three bombs at the car.
One of the bombs made it into the car and blasted away the whole floor. The driver pushed the vehicle up the mountain pass, barely making it to the top as the rebels continued to charge the trio.
The car finally made it past the top at which point the Maoists ran off. The driver was not injured, but one of the climbers suffered complicated injuries to his foot and the other has some shrapnel in his leg and back.
No desire to hurt foreigners
One of the Russians is currently still in a hospital in Kathmandu, to have his foot treated.
The attack occurred near Chehere village on the Arniko highway, about 100 miles west of Katmandu. This is the first time climbers are injured in the Maoist conflict.
Both the Maoists and the King have earlier assured that they have no desire to hurt tourists. All other climbers have arrived their base camps safely, in fact reporting less problems than last year. The Russian's in yesterday's incident were traveling without escort, defying an 11-day general strike called by Maoist rebels.
2004 image of Nepali soldiers by Contact 2.0. Courtesy of IrishEverest2004.com
|
|
Feature Stories |
|
Latest News |
more news |
 |
Everest Supercouloir: "What is a summit compared to a friend's lif
Full Story
|
 |
Mystery Chopper's Utopia summit - VIDEO
Full Story
|
 |
Annapurna South: "It was such a great climb"
Full Story
|
 |
ExWeb Special report: The Ropes and Summit Push on Everest...
Full Story
|
 |
Real men
Full Story
|
 |
Christian Kuntner - a mountaineering legend is gone
Full Story
|
 |
14 x 8000: Ed Viesturs joins the world's most exclusive...
Full Story
|
 |
ExWeb Special: Ed Viesturs "I still have peaks that I want...
Full Story
|
|
|
| Andrew Lock on Annapurna tragedy: "I wanted to keep on climbing" Jun 6, 2005 | | Gabriel Filippi and Sean Egan's soul, together on the summit of Everest Jun 6, 2005 | | "Supermom" Monica Kalozdi update: Everest Summit and hard descent Jun 5, 2005 | | Robert Milne dies during summit push Everest South Jun 5, 2005 | | Grania Willis summits Everest this morning Jun 5, 2005 | | ExplorersWeb Week-In-Review Jun 5, 2005 | | Himex summit - Update from climber Jun 4, 2005 | | No Mountain top too high, my Love Jun 4, 2005 | | Jagged Globe team summits again! Jun 4, 2005 | | More summits for DCXP/Project Himalaya this morning Jun 4, 2005 |
| | End of season... Jun 4, 2005 | | Ranulph Fiennes turns back on Everest Jun 3, 2005 |
|
|
