First group found broken tents and stollen oxygen....

Today our first team led by Sergey Kofanov and Sergey Larin has gone on an ascent. Also with them 5 person: Maxim Shakirov, Israfil Ashurly, Hannah Shields, Curt Myers, Dirk Feige from Germany. Also with them 6 Sherpas, led by Mingma Gelu, 5-times Everest summiter. Today the first team has risen on North Col. Two tents from eight are broken by a bad weather. There is still enough places, we have also a kitchen and a dining tents, and also a toilet. Previous climbers which has passed already about 200 person, have stolen only 2 oxygen cylinders. From 18 cylinders which laid on the Saddle, now remained only 16. It is not very terrible yet, we have some stock of oxygen. But it will be really bad, if we shall miss some oxygen in high camps on 7700 and 8300 meters.

The second team led by Alexander Abramov and Alexander Bichenko, it is five person Andrey Ivanov, Sergey Batura, Sergey Dashkevich, Bill Tyler and Lyudmila Korobeshko. A strong team from six Sherpas goes with us, led by Pemba which works with us three seasons, (he is 6 times Everest summiter) . The second group leaves tomorrow in the morning, May 17-th.

The Weather should be quite good.

May, 15 and May, 16 a plenty of people has climbed Everest. Probably, more than hundred. From different expedition as Summitclimb and Kari Kobler and the Indian Military expedition. Also, a plenty of sportsmen which participate in small expeditions. One of the first, Nima Dolma the sister of ours sirdar has summited. First time she has climbed Everest in the age of 15 years in 2003, it is a record for all climbers.

A little bit about sad, two persons was lost for these two days. One - the Japanese, 67 years, he has died at the Second step. And the second is the Czech climber. He was lost today. He has left in the morning on an ascent, then has returned to camp of 8300 m, has felt badly and there has died. The information is informal.. We hope, that at us all will pass well, normally, without any incidents. Our team is strong, we have a good Sherpas. This year, as against the past, each member has an individual Sherpa. And if the last year we used three cylinders of oxygen this year we use six cylinders as the base offer. Communication also works well. In general, all is normal, there would be a good weather, health and good luck.