Second Indonesia team tries to conquer Everest

JAKARTA (JP): After an Indonesian team reached the summit of Mt. Everest (8,848 meters) Saturday, a second Indonesian team is planning to do the same by May 6.

Lt. Col. Erfi Triasunu, Army Special Forces deputy assistant for operational affairs, told a press conference yesterday that the team of Sgt. Sunardi, private Tarmudi and Gunawan Achmad of the Wanadri nature lovers club would climb the northern col to the summit.

"They planned to reach the top on May 5, but the Armed Forces chief (Maj. Gen. Prabowo Subianto) has asked them to reach it on May 6.

"He told the team not to force themselves too hard, especially if the weather prevents them from continuing the journey," Erfi said.

Lt. Col. Pramono Edhie Wibowo, the team's coordinator, reported that an unfavorable weather forecast meant the team could not reach the top before May 6.

Sgt. Misirin, Corporal Asmujiono and their Russian coach conquered the highest mountain Saturday via the southern col. They were the first climbers to reach the summit this year.

The second team arrived at base camp Tuesday at 1 p.m. local time.

The team is made up of 10 members of the Special Forces and six people from the University of Indonesia's Mapala club, Wanadri club and Indonesian Mountain Climbing Association.

Erfi said the team had reached the second camp, 7,800 meters above sea level, and was climbing to the third camp, 8,200 meters above sea level.

"On May 5 at 11 p.m. local time, the team is scheduled to move from the third camp to the summit," he said.

Prabowo plans to meet both teams, which left Indonesia in March, after they return from Everest.

The teams, which were set up last July, trained for five months before the expedition.

Foreign expedition teams complimented the Indonesian teams for their courage to climb in April, which is considered risky.

Wanadri club's Othy Mamahit said, "Climbers don't like April because the weather is not very stable. Sometimes snow falls heavily."

Othy said bad weather had delayed the northern col team by a more than a week after the southern col team.

"Fortunately, the wind is blowing from Bengali Bay and our team will be protected from the win until it reaches 8,200 meters above sea level," he said.

"Our emergency zone will be above 8,200 meters because the team will face the so-called 'death zone' on its way home from the top," he added. (yan)