Sergey- Kofanov`s story about the rescue of Italian Marco on Everest

… after summit I should be stayed almost one and a half hour on a crest at 8500 meters. I was waiting for Sergey Larin who was the last in our team. At last, about 12 a.m. he has informed me, that he has safely gone down from the Second Step. Then I have decided that the most dangerous part of a route is already behind, and I could start go down to the camp 8300 m .

Oxygen in my last cylinder was practically finished, but I not too worried as felt well enough in spite of the fact that all night I worked on a route as the first, making a track in deep snow and finding fix-ropes. To the moment of my arrival to the camp 8300 most part of clients already began to go down with sirdar Mingma and other Sherpas. Only Israfil Ashurly and Curt Myers remained on camp.

Approaching to my tent, I have seen in 15 meters above, on a slope, a climber laying just in snow. He was without crampons and harness, his oxygen mask was moved down aside. The man did not answer and made feeble attempts to rise, obviously not understanding where he is and what happened. In his backpack I have found an oxygen cylinder of system « Summit Oxygen», used approximately on two third.

I have dragged him on snow to the tent. Having thrown off from him and from myself backpack and oxygen mask, I have dragged him inside of tent and have put him face down. First of all I decided to make him an injection of dexametazon and only then try to give a drink, a coffee which remained in tent in my thermos. At night before a summit bid I have decided to not take a thermos with coffee as there was to little spaces in my backpack - only for three cylinders of oxygen and the first-aid set. It was to the best, to heat water from snow - it takes a lot of time.

Then I have looked in the first-aid set, there were two syringe with dexametazon on 40 mg in everyone. Unfortunately, it was frozen in both and I have unpacked one to warm up it in my palms. This time Israfil said me that he has left a full cylinder of oxygen, leaving downwards. At this time, some unknown girl has approached to me and has put to me in a hand a syringe filled with something. She explain that in a syringe is prednizalon. From her I have found out, that the person who lays in tent is an Italian, lost two day ago. His team has gone down yesterday, having despaired to find him. A girl was French, speaking Italian and English.

I got back in tent and have made an injection. At that time the second French girl came to us. I have got out of tent and have reconsidered a backpack of the Italian in which besides an oxygen cylinder was still kg 10 different partly nonsense things, including even a photo of his favourite dog. Together with French climbers we have started to prepare him for a transportation. We took out all from his backpack except a camera. One girl came to his tent and found his crampons and harness.

In the meantime, the medicines started to operate - the Italian started to be shaking and began to make attempts to sit.

It took us about 10 minutes to dressed him, that time we found out that his name is Маrcо. Together with coffee I have forced him to take a tablet of dymox and trental, as fingers on his hands were rather strongly frostbitten.

Having left the most part of things in tent, we have pulled him outside. I have put on him sunglasses, a backpack with an oxygen cylinder and a mask. Then I also have quickly put on myself. Having lifted him on legs I have understood that he could not go. Having fastened him to a fixed rope, I have piled him on myself, thus we have begun descent. After 100 meters I have been exhausted finally and have put him on snow. The only way was to try to drag him on snow as the steepness of a slope allowed to make it. Thus, we have rather quickly overcome about 500 meters of a slope, up to a meeting with a Sherpa, which without a backpack went on upward.

Sherpa spoke English quite good and he has explained to me, that he was from other Italian expedition, and that he was ready to help me to lower a victim. We began to drag him together downwards. Members of second part of our team which should go this night on an ascent began to pass upward. To this moment I was sure, that we shall manage to lower Marco in camp of 7700 m, and I have refused from their help. On a next flat place, I have stopped descent - it was necessary to make the second injection dexametazon. Warming up beforehand a syringe in palms, I have entered to him a doze of a medicine, this time - direct through trousers. Then French girls came from above, bearing 10 meter of a rope to belay us in steep parts.

We have continued descent,. I went still ahead, practically bearing Marco on myself - he has pulled hard on me, and Sherpa (then I have found out that he called Mingma), went behind, belaying us with a rope. The French went behind us, but, having understood, that they can not render real help, they have overtaken us with words that will try at 7700 m to find somebody from members of his expedition.

Many forces took away when we passed groups which went up. The track was very narrow and at such moments of overtaking the Italian simply completely lay down on me, taking away all forces. But deximetazon and oxygen slowly started to operate and, gradually loading on me has decreased. To tell the truth, at that moment, I was out of forces - oxygen in my cylinder was finished. To the camp at height 7900 m (a camp of Russel Brice), I came as in a fog, already hardly understanding what is up.

Having fallen among tents of camp 7900m, we simply were lying, coming to the senses. At this time Sherpas of Russell have started to gather around of our company, trying to find out : who - whom rescues. On that moment Marco, probably, looked better than I and Mingma. In my mouth it was completely dry. We could not speak, only show, that we need something to drink. Only after 10 minutes, we could explain a situation.

Knowing that Russell never denies assistance, I have asked him by radio to give us one oxygen cylinder for maintenance rescue. I understood, that if I and Mingma still could move without oxygen, it simply may kill Marco. Fortunately Russell has agreed, and the required cylinder was allocated without problems. Having put on regulator for three liters per minute, we have continued our descent. The track became much worse - rocky outputs on which it was impossible to drag. It was necessary to charge him on my back again. In my eyes all darkened more strongly - I did not sleep and do not eat more than a day, working on a route at height 8000 meters and having visited the summit of Everest. When we at last reached the camp 7700m I was as in a half-delirium.

Having failed near first of our tent, we three laid without movement about half hour. Sherpas from Korean expedition which stood nearby, with surprise observed us, and have then guessed to bring a little hot tea. After that more fresh Mingma had risen and went to tents of Koreans, and I have forced myself to unbutton a tent and have half dragged myself inside. The Italian has remained to lay on snow outside. From drowsiness in which I have failed, I was pulled out by come back of Mingma.

We should go because soon oxygen will be finished and then nothing will rescue Marco. Mingma has again fixed Marco to itself and has dragged him downwards. In the meantime I have decided to lie down some more in tent, coming to the senses. I remember that some people going upwards looked and asked me: where is my personal Sherpa or guide ? Probably I was looked rather bad, but my answers was «Go, go your way, I am a guide and Sherpa, I need no help», people is surprised shrugged shoulders and offered me some oxygen.

After about 20 minutes, a little bit having come in myself, I began descent downwards, having thrown out preliminary from the backpack an empty oxygen cylinder and something from things.

Rather soon I have caught up Мingma with the client. I have again gone ahead, belaying. Soon I noticed that his coordination improved. Approaching to our camp on 7000 m, Marco moved practically independently. In camp I have told our cook Gumbu, that he was going to hot a soup and tea and, having planted the Italian on a chair, I has gone to learn the latest news about my own group. Practically all our clients were at 7000 m in the North Col camp and slept in tents, only Azerbaijanian Israfil Ashurly and German Dirk Feige have gone down in camp ABC on height 6400 m.

Everything was in the order, and I have returned to the Italian. After soup, I have asked him to take tablets of dymox and trental.

Unfortunately, he did not speak English, so I and Maxim Shakirov could not extend from him any information. Marco answered all our words only «no comprendo», and Маx in Italian knew only words "Pinocchio" and "Cippolino". In the meantime, it darkened. Having talked with Мingma, we have decided to not leave Marco on North Col and to continue descent downwards in camp of 6400 m. I saw, that the guy has practically come to the senses, and told to Mingma began descent without me.

I had planned to start a bit later and then overtake them. But probably my forces were out, as, starting 10 minutes later, I could overtake them only at «crampons point» at 6600 m. Therefrom to the camp 6400 m it was about half hour walkings. On a way a Sherpa from Italian expedition met us with a thermos of hot tea and then I have gone further alone. I just had asked Mingma to visit our camp next morning. Unfortunately, I had not seen him again, because in the night Hannah Shields felt badly and early in the next morning we began descent to the Base Camp.