ROYAL AIR FORCE TEAM RESCUE EVEREST CLIMBER

5 May 2001 12:00 AM

A TEAM of Royal Air Force mountaineers has been involved in the rescue of a civilian climber during an expedition to reach the summit of Mount Everest.

The team - all members of the UK-based RAF Mountain Rescue Service - are attempting to climb the north face of the world''s highest mountain.

They were resting at their base camp, 17,000 feet up, when they were alerted that a climber from another expedition, who was being guided down the mountain and suffering with breathing problems, was overdue.

The sick climber, a New Zealander, was located 4km from the base camp by other members of his expedition team. He was too sick to continue and had been left in a tent for the night with another climber.

Two members of the British team - RAF doctor, Wing Commander Brian Kirkpatrick, and Chief Technician Dan Carroll, a Mountain Rescue Service team leader - set off up the glacier, at night, to give assistance.

When they reached the casualty, his oxygen levels had become dangerously low and he was diagnosed as suffering from a respiratory tract infection, complicated by the high altitude.

They decided to evacuate him immediately and were joined by a further eight members of the RAF team, together with four civilian climbers.

Flight Lieutenant Ted Atkins, who is leading the RAF expedition, said: ''The evacuation along the Rongbuk glacier proved to be particularly hazardous. We navigated along a narrow path that was littered with huge, loose boulders. Driving snow limited visibility and the glacier was very slippery underfoot.''

The team reached base camp - which has a RAF medical tent - in the early hours of the morning. Wing Commander Kirkpatrick, who normally works at RAF Coningsby, Lincs, stabilised the casualty and he was handed over to the care of his expedition members. He was evacuated later that day, 30 April.

Flt Lt Atkins added: ''I was very proud of the team. They worked hard in very difficult conditions. Just tying your boots at this altitude can be hard work, let alone carrying a stretcher. It was tough work.''

Chief Technician Carroll said: ''When we were asked for help, we didn-t think twice. At 17,000ft you can encounter problems that you do not even think about back at home in the UK.''

Armed Forces Minister John Spellar said today: ''The Royal Air Force team did an excellent job in difficult conditions and may have helped to save this climber-s life. This incident underlines the professionalism and skill of our Armed Forces.''

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NOTES TO EDITORS

1. For further information, please contact Squadron Leader Andy Pemberton at the Defence Press Office on 020 7218 7497 or mobile 07810 750543.

2. Pictures of the team are available from Eric Willoughby. Contact him on 0114 275 5134 or e-mail eric.willoughby@peak- imaging.com

3. Further information about the team members and their expedition is available on their website at www.rafeverest.com

4. The MoD web-site can be found at http://www.mod.uk It provides a link to our new on-line news service, UK Defence Today, which can also be accessed directly at http://news.mod.uk