A journalist and photographer are saved by their Sherpa guide at the Everest Base Camp avalanche. Shradha Pal unfolds the story of a man who just thought about saving those people who were his responsibility and depended on him to keep them safe

When nature takes its course, no one can challenge her wrath. All one can do is try to be safe and for some brave ones — help those in need. This story is that of a saviour and survivor!

Ammu Kannampilly, Bureau Chief at AFP, reached Mount Everest Base Camp 4 on April 25 with her guide to cover the first season of climbing. But within a few minutes her story took a sharp turn.

“We had just arrived at the Base Camp that day — my team is my South Asia Photo Chief Roberto Schmidt and I. He (Schmidt) had gotten there a little ahead of me, he was at the dining, I went there, had some hot water, took off my gloves. I think it was barely 5-10 minutes when we heard this rumbling, I was wondering what it was,” Kannampilly gave a picture of what happened.

Schmidt grabbed his camera and went out. “He said, ‘I think it is an avalanche.’ I went to look for my video camera as avalanche is fairly common in Everest. As I turned he said, ‘Get down.’ I immediately got down under the table and it was very noisy, a lot of shaking,” said Kannampilly.

When the shaking stopped, she opened her eyes and saw everything white. “It was like being thrown into sack of icing sugar. I tried to scrape the snow and my hands were covered in blood. When I saw the blood I started screaming Roberto’s name and heard him moaning.”

Suddenly she heard her guide Pasang call her name. She screamed as loudly as she could so that he would know where they were. He tore the nylon tent and he tried to pull her out. She was caught on something. “I guess he removed it as I couldn’t see. My glasses were gone.” She is myopic with minus 5.5 power.

Pasang pulled Schmidt and Kannampilly out of the snow. “Somehow this man saved our lives. He is the reason we are standing here today.”

While Kannampilly tells her story, this little man stands behind her and listens. He doesn’t seem lost and keeps smiling while waiting.

One can’t help but wonder what was going through his mind at that point of time. After a while talking to Pasang you get an unexpected answer. The thought that lingers is ‘such people do exist’. “I was thinking nothing. My only concern was how to save them. My shoes were wet and I wasn’t wearing gloves, my hands were freezing, yet I tore the tent. They were pressed between the tent, chair, table and rods and I pulled them out.”

When the avalanche hit, Pasang took refuge under a rock. At that time he couldn’t bring them from the dining to the rock as everything happened all of a sudden. “I tried my best to take shelter near the rock and was only thinking of how to save them. The Base Camp was dark then and suddenly it was white. I don’t know if it was their luck or the answer to my prayers, they were safe.”

It wasn’t safe there. There were chances of another avalanche. So, Pasang told them to go to Gorak Shep for safety. Despite the constant aftershocks, they could have reached Gorak Shep in two hours, but Kannampilly and Schmidt refused to go. Why would anyone do this is difficult to fathom, but for Kannampilly it was simple. “I just thought this is the second major disaster on Everest, we are here and we have to tell the story. I couldn’t see, so I put the camera on full auto and hoped it would record something.”

Knowing nothing could be done, Pasang left them in a relatively safer place and warded off to Gorak Shep to return the next morning at 7:00.

It is not easy to save lives when you are in the same rut, but Pasang did that, found his clients’ bags and returned to take them, when he had already left for a safer area. When you tell him that it is human instinct to save yourself at such times, why didn’t you do that? “That happens but it did not cross my mind. My motive was to be safe and save them. They were my responsibility after all. My office sent me with that responsibility and had I not delivered, it would have reflected badly on my profession, which would have had a negative impact on my network.”

He had no idea that the avalanche was due to an earthquake in Kathmandu. “I didn’t know as there was no connection on the phone. I had heard someone say that Kathmandu was devastated. That’s when I felt numb.”

His wife and child of four-years were home in Baluwatar and he was saving people on Everest.

Kannampilly and Schmidt were still working. For Kannampilly, part of the story was also the Base Camp dealing with a disaster like this. There was no outside help, it was just the community there and she was moved by how everyone was helping each other.

When the chopper came, they chose to walk as those severely injured were more in need.

They began descending towards Gorak Shep when the major aftershock of April 26 struck. This time Kannampilly was scared “probably because the shock was wearing off. I wouldn’t call myself someone who prays, but I got down on my knees and prayed. He (Pasang) started to chant Om Mani Padme Hum.”

Perhaps the prayers were answered. They were safe and reached Lobuche on April 28. Pasang, Kannampilly and Schmidt were ready to go from Lukla to Kathmandu, but when have things worked according to the plan? There were seats left for only two, there was no time and in a split second the decision had to be made. Pasang was left behind.

“I didn’t have much money as I had lost Rs 50,000 in the Base Camp already. They told me not be scared. They were also in a hurry. I had thought of only saving them and going back together as we came together. I didn’t know what to do then. I don’t know what to say,” said Pasang.

He then walked “scared, and I reached Lukla scared”. The journey was expensive as one meal costs Rs 500, one cup of tea costs Rs 150. Luckily he met his friends on the way and borrowed some money. “I would have done something had I not met my friends. Perhaps I would have asked the porters to lend me some money. It would have been embarrassing asking from them as I had paid them some time ago.” His pride remained unharmed.

These are difficult times and it is easy to judge, but sometimes difficult decisions need to be taken. “I hated leaving Pasang there in Lobuche. It is not a pleasant thought, but we would not have left without him from Lukla to Kathmandu.”

It takes five days to reach Lukla from Lobuche for a Nepali. But Pasang walked 15 hours and reached Lukla early on Wednesday morning. “When I reached Namche, Ammu called and said she was in Lukla and was waiting for us to fly together to Kathmandu.”

For a change a happy ending did surface. Everyone was safe and reached Kathmandu. Pasang’s family is safe. Given a chance Pasang will go to the Base Camp again. “This is how I earn my living despite being scared,” said the little man, who doesn’t even know he is a hero.