RI Everest climbers return to Kathmandu<\/p>\n
KATHMANDU (AFP): The first Indonesian team to conquer Mount
\nEverest from the Nepalese side returned to Kathmandu on Sunday in
\nhigh spirits after surviving a blizzard at the summit.<\/p>\n
Asmujiono, 25 and Misirin, 28, were accompanied to the top of
\nthe 8,848-meter-high peak last month by two Russian mountain
\nguides, Vladimir Bachikirov, 45, and Evgeni Vinogradski, 50, and
\nNepalese high altitude guide Appa Sherpa.<\/p>\n
The five climbers reached the summit of the world's highest
\npeak about 3 a.m. on April 26 and returned to the base camp after
\nspending the night at 8,600 meters (28,214 feet) inside a high
\nemergency camp.<\/p>\n
"While climbing toward the summit around midnight, the weather
\nwas good and favorable but 10 minutes after reaching the summit,
\nit suddenly deteriorated with strong winds blowing in and heavy
\nblizzards starting," Appu Sherpa said.<\/p>\n
Appu has reached Everest's summit eight times.<\/p>\n
"We dumped our tents and five oxygen bottles at the 8,600
\nmeter camp ... which helped save our lives," Appu said.
\nAsmujiono described the summit experience as "my happiest and
\nmemorable moment."<\/p>\n
"I pressed the tripod on the summit and unfurled the
\nIndonesian flag before quickly returning to the lower camp," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Misirin said he felt like a "great man" after scaling the
\nmountain but, given the danger.<\/p>\n
"I remembered my wife and kids," he said.<\/p>\n
Iwan Setiawan, a third Indonesian member of the team, was
\ndisappointed because he was stopped just short of the pinnacle.<\/p>\n
"After reaching 8,840 meters, the team physician and guide,
\nEvgeni, stopped me from climbing further, saying it would be
\ndangerous to ascend anymore," he said.<\/p>\n
Evgeni said he stopped the climber because "his movement was
\nvery very slow ... every minute at that time was crucial and a
\nquestion of life and death."<\/p>\n
In autumn 1996, Clara Sumarwati, 29, of Jakarta, climbed
\nEverest from the Tibetan side. She was the first Indonesian and
\nthe first Southeast Asian to reach the summit.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-everest-climbers-return-to-kathmandu-1447893297",
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