Breaking Everest Climbing Record, Tsang Yin-hung Is Now Stranded In Nepal Due To COVID-19

Mount Everest illustration. (Wikimedia Commons/Rdevany)

JAKARTA - Hong Kong female climber Tsang Yin-hung, who set a record for the fastest woman to reach the summit of Everest, was stranded in Nepal along with dozens of other mountaineers from China, who were unable to get out due to COVID-19 restrictions imposed by Beijing.

The fast-spreading COVID-19 infection in Nepal, including at the Mount Everest base camp, has sent COVID-19 cases soaring and prompted several countries to block travel from there.

Nepal's daily positive infection rate stands at more than 24 percent, including the highest in the world today. Travel restrictions were imposed after the climbing season began and there was a new outbreak in Nepal.

Tsang, 44, who successfully conquered Mount Everest in 25 hours and 50 minutes last month said returning home seemed more difficult than his ascent to the summit of Everest at 8.848.86 meters.

"I think climbing the summit for me is possible and achievable", she told Reuters at her hotel in Kathmandu.

"But returning (to Hong Kong) seems hopeless. There is no way to go back".

Nepalese officials say they have allowed two weekly flights from China, but these are not operating. The Chinese embassy in Kathmandu did not immediately respond to a Reuters email about the lack of flights.

"There are no flights (from Nepal) to any place in China or Hong Kong", Tsang said. Meanwhile, climbers from other countries have returned on chartered flights.

China's Sun Yi Quan, 34, who climbed Everest three times previously but gave up on his fourth attempt last May due to the coronavirus outbreak at the base camp said his team of 13 climbers also failed to get a flight home.

To note, Kathmandu has been partially closed since May due to a spike in COVID-19 with 622.640 infections and 8.772 deaths in the country so far.

Tashi Lakpa Sherpa, a senior official at the company Seven Summit Treks, said more than 30 Chinese climbers were stranded in Kathmandu.