Brit Breaks Leg On Everest Summit Day

A British climber has reportedly broken his leg high on Everest and has had to be helped back down to Camp Six by fellow mountaineers and Sherpas.

The climber is named as Conan Harrod from Manchester in this despatch from the Adventure Peaks expedition. Apparently Harrod was moving together with another climber between the first and second step, high on the north side of the mountain, when a third climber fell from above and landed on him.

Harrod was then helped back down to high camp by fellow team members and Sherpas as well as climbers and Sherpas from other expeditions. His condition is described as stable and it's planned to move him down the mountain to a point where helicopter evacuation is feasible.

Given the history of accidents on the mountain and the difficulties of operating at such high altitudes, the rescue is remarkable, particularly in the light of criticisms over the driven selfishness of climbers on the mountain. Let's hope he gets down okay.

Meanwhile, the situation on the mountain is confused, some expeditions report good conditions, some bad, but climbers are clearly summiting the mountain though others are turning back. More details on Everestnews.com.