When you have the highest, the deepest, the longest, the fastest, the strongest of anything in the world
people become obsessed with it.
It's not a technical mountain, it's just a big mountain.
Mount Everest is obviously the highest mountain in the world
and as a result it brings people from all around the world.
At 8,848 metres, it's a very big drawcard.
It is a dangerous place. You're in the Himalayas, in the mountains, you're a long way from help.
You know, every beach in the world has a lifeguard. Most mountains in the world have mountain rescue.
This is the biggest mountain range on earth, and they've got nothing.
So effectively, if you get in trouble on the mountain, there is very little medical support up there
and that's why there's so many fatalities and so many injuries that occur,
especially on Everest and in the region.
I set about trying to work out if it was possible to put a rescue team in place on Mount Everest
that could also be used throughout the valley.
Ok, so what we have is one of the fixing team fell from the summit
and he is now deceased at the base of at camp two.
They've requested a body recovery, over.
Having a dedicated team of high altitude sherpas that are there
predominatly to help people in need, had never happened before.
We put together the world's first sherpa rescue team on Mount Everest in the 2016 season.
They were predominatly at base camp to facilitate rescues on Mount Everest.
The sherpas and I are effectively the eyes and ears of the alpine rescue service.
The first line of response for anyone in need on Mount Everest.
Joining them is our elite paramedic Jeff Evans.
Now from our base camp set up what we're able to do is track our team on the mountain, about five sherpas
and when they come across people that are in need of assistance, we can track them
assess the situation, apply basic first aid, and then call in a rescue helicopter as needed.
So it's all done within a very small area here at base camp.
We had a call from quite a dtstressed Indian expedition that's high on the mountain.
They supposedly summited around 10am this morning.
So they'd been above 8,500 metres for a long time.
And unfortunately the death zone is that.
I think by the time they've got there, there's a significant chance they will have died.
It's very awkward for a rescue team to receive a call like that pleading for help
Knowing that if you say 'no', two people will die.
Saying 'yes' six people could die.
"Hello, base camp, this is the sherpa rescue team, over"
Ok so right now...
we've made a decision to send our two strongest rescuers
up towards the balcony, at 8,500 metres to try and save the lives of the Indian climber and guide
I think at this point we either bring someone down with very bad frostbite
Or unfortunately they'll be left on the mountain.
At this point it comes down to it's getting dark
who will survive the night?
Are there going to be anymore cases? Cause we have another 100 plus people going up tonight.
So our team were climbing up through the dark to the south summit, which is very, very high
and they were nearing 8,600 metres.
They could actually hear Indian music playing.
They boys found her sitting there listening to her radio.
She was effectively sitting there waiting to die.
And Mingma went up to her and just gave her a bit of a shake
The body as actually, basically started to shut down.
She would have frost bite in all her extremities.
So the only option they had is to bring Chetna down from 8,600 metres
after climbing for 16 hours
in their own fatigued state, one they call a 'short line'
They then had very minimal time at Camp Four to try and give her some fluids, some more oxygen
and then have to get her down the Lhotse Face.
A sheer vertical blue ice face, with someone that really can't stand, or hold anything or walk.
Remember: take your time, take your time, take your time.
So she had extreme frostbite in her hands, feet, face.
She had no detexrity, no balance, she hadn't had enough oxygen. That is an extremely dangerous situation.
It's probably one of the most dangerous situations on Earth.
The team managed to get her down to Camp Two.
By which point we had co-ordinated the helicopter evacuation.
Captain Andrew from our rescue team flew up to Camp Two.
I think when Chetna arrived at base camp we saw the extent of her injuries.
We knew that she'd probably lose her fingers, and her cheeks were very, very waxy and frostbitten.
I think it was quite surreal for her.
I think it took a significant amount of time for her to realise what had happened.
Are you okay?
He saved your life.
Very unusual seeing our team so exhausted.
You could see Mingma's eyes: there was nothing left.
It was... I've never seen sherpas so exhausted.
Sherpas are honestly the greatest human beings on the planet.
And without it, there would be no summits, and a lot more deaths.
We are all grateful.
Our sherpa team, they managed to pull off two of the highest rescues in history.
They're not heroes. They're rockstars.
They really are. They're rockstars, and to us now they are family. To all of us.
The aptitude and dedication they exhibited...
in the most hostile environments on Earth -- above 8,000m on Mount Everest --
truly, truly remarkable.