Simone Moro: 'relationship between Sherpa and westerners has changed a lot'. Photo: Gabriele Marabini CC-BY-2.0

Simone Moro: 'relationship between Sherpa and westerners has changed a lot'. Photo: Gabriele Marabini [CC-2.0]

The team that said it was attacked by a group of Sherpas while making its way up Everest is abandoning its expedition.

British mountaineer and photographer Jon Griffith was with renowned speed climber Ueli Steck and Everest summiteer Simone Moro on Saturday when violence reportedly erupted on the Lhotse Face.

The lives of the trio of climbers were threatened by a group of Sherpas who the three said attacked them at Camp Two after taking exception to their soloing in an area that was being prepared with fixed ropes by the team of Sherpas.

Griffith dismissed reports that the trio would resume their NO2 Limits expedition, which was due to tackle a new route on the mountain without supplementary oxygen.

He told the Telegraph newspaper: “Total bollocks. We are leaving Nepal as soon as we can.”

The decision was confirmed by Moro, who told Planetmountain.com: “We’re abandoning the expedition.

“Despite having met those who attacked us, having embraced and having forgiven them, I wanted the meeting with everyone at Base Camp to end with my words that underlined the esteem I have for the Sherpa and Nepal, but I also stated that this violence killed our climbing dream and that we are leaving.”

The Italian climber, who is also a helicopter pilot, said he would probably stay in Nepal and carry on taking part in rescue missions, but his two companions were returning home.

Moro said he believed the alarming incident was the culmination of a simmering disquiet among some of the Sherpas.

Moro said: “The relationship between Sherpa and westerners has changed a lot.

“I think the Sherpa are aware of how much money goes into all of this and they no longer accept that it’s not all theirs.

“I’d like to add a final, important fact, namely that we also received an official apology from all the Sherpa and Sirdar.”

The Italian, who has summited Everest four times, revealed another Sherpa, Pan Nuru was among a group of four climbers who protected the trio from the angry mob of climbers at Camp Two. He also praised American climber Melissa Arnot for helping save him and his two companions.

US mountain guide Steve House also said he had been threatened while climbing in the Himalaya.

The Colorado-based mountaineer said: “In 2011, while acclimating on the normal route on Makalu we climbed solo next to fixed lines. Lead Sherpa threatened us there as well.”

He said he understood that Sherpas and other Everest workers might feel their livelihoods were at risk from fast, Alpine-style climbers who didn’t need their services.

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