KATHMANDU, MAY 26
The Department of Tourism (DoT) has expressed serious concern over the statement and video message about Mt. Everest posted by celebrated climber Nirmal 'Nims' Purja on social media.
The department also announced that a legal investigation would be processed against Purja and other individuals for disseminating misinformation with the intent of gaining popularity.
On May 26, Nims posted a video claiming that ropes along the Everest summit above the balcony area were cut to bar him from making the summit. His video quickly went viral, drawing immediate but critical reactions from the world's mountaineering community.
In a press statement issued on Monday, the DoT stated that although Nirmal Purja had claimed the ropes between the Balcony and South Col of Everest were snapped, a team of climbers from Pioneer Adventures Pvt. Ltd. had successfully summited Everest after his claim. The DoT reported that the team scaled Everest at 12:45 am today and found the rope intact, contrary to Purja's claim.
In the video message, Purja and Babu Sherpa of Peak Promotion also mentioned that the dead body management team of the expedition company had returned without accomplishing their mission due to the rope being cut.
Following an emergency meeting of the Expedition Operators Association Nepal (EOA-Nepal), the DoT asserted that there was no problem with the ropes on Everest and expressed concern over statements defaming Nepal's mountaineering tourism.
"We want to inform all stakeholders concerned that there is no problem at all in rope fixing and Everest expedition for the spring season has come to an end. Further, we want to request all climbers to complete their ascent with full confidence," the DoT said in a statement signed by Kali Bahadur Bhujel, Director and Spokesperson at the department.
The tourism department also appealed to the media to avoid disseminating misinformation and to rely on official information circulated by the Expedition Monitoring and Facilitation Field Office, Department of Tourism, and liaison officers.
