KOTA KINABALU: Muhammad Hawari Hashim, the mountaineer who has gone missing on Mount Everest, was alone, with no sherpa accompanying him on May 14.
“This was not normal,” said T. Ravichandran (pic), an experienced climber who has reached the tallest summit in the world three times.
Ravichandran, famously known as Everest Ravi, said he spent some time with Hawari, gave him water when he asked for it, and even scaled up from the checkpoint they were at to the next one.
He said they parted ways on May 14.
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He could not understand why Hawari was alone.
Ravichandran said all climbers, especially first-timers, had to be in a group and accompanied by a sherpa.
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“I am not sure if he eventually met up with his other team members,” he said, adding that the weather conditions were more severe than what he was accustomed to and there was a higher number of climbers this time around.
Ravichandran said since Hawari had hearing and speaking disabilities, the operator or group leader should have ensured that Hawari was always with the group.
“I do not know what happened. Hawari is missing, and his group member, Lt Col Awang Askandar Ampuan Yaacub, died in the expedition.”
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For that, someone must be held responsible, said the 58-year-old, who reached the summit as part of another group a day earlier.
Ravichandran said the families of the victims deserved to know the truth and get closure.
Hawari was reported missing on May 19, while Askandar, the Kedah Civil Defence Force director, was reported to have died the same day after falling while ascending the mountain.
Askandar’s body is expected to arrive in Sabah for burial today.
