Vilborg Calls Off Everest Climb

Adventurer Vilborg Arna Gissurardóttir, who planned to climb the tallest mountain of each continent in one year has decided to call off her final climb, Mount Everest, after an avalanche kills 16 Sherpas, reports RÚV.

The avalanche is the deadliest accident in Everest’s history and the Nepalese government has granted compensation for the families of those who died.

The remaining Sherpas however, have canceled all climbing on Mount Everest lest the Nepalese government improve their safety gear, agree to revise insurance payments and install a welfare fund. Even if the government agrees to the demands it remains uncertain whether Sherpas will resume climbing as they have announced they will abandon the season out of respect for their fallen coworkers.

“What matters is what the Sherpas are fighting for now – their rights – and that there is progress with that,” said Vilborg in an interview with Stöð Tvö. “My disappointment is nothing compared to the reality of those who lost their friends.”

If the situation should change in the coming days however, Vilborg confirmed she might revise her decision.

Another Icelander currently at Base Camp who had also planned to climb Everest, Ingólfur Axelsson, told Vísir: “I feel kind of like a 7 year old who just got told that Christmas was cancelled.” In another interview with MBL he said that it felt as though someone called off a National Holiday at the last minute. He has since said that his comments were unfortunate comparisons after being called out on Twitter for being insensitive of the Sherpas’ grief and their fight for better working conditions.