1996 Mount Everest Disaster

It was May 10, 1996, and a bunch of climbers from all around the world had all eyes on the Mount Everest summit. As soon as the dream of standing atop the world’s highest peak was about to get real, in the blink of an eye, Everest took a whole U-turn. High above 8,000 meters, a sudden blizzard trapped mountaineers in the “death zone,” taking the lives of eight climbers. The 1996 Mount Everest Disaster is where eight climbers perished in a violent storm, turning the day into a black day in Everest history.

Mountains can be brutal at times, and the 1996 Mount Everest disaster showcased the harsh realities of life above 8,000 meters. What adds to the mystery is that most of the victims were seasoned climbers, and that too under the guidance of highly professional guides. Till this point, there is a certain curiosity regarding what exactly happened or what went wrong on the 1996 Mount Everest.

In this blog post, we’ll be uncovering every aspect of the 1996 Mount Everest disaster, the tragedy, how it took place, who survived, etc. So, without wasting any time, let’s get started!

What was the 1996 Mount Everest Disaster?

The 1996 Mount Everest disaster is a horrifying series of events that took place on May 10–11, 1996, when a sudden blizzard hit the group of climbers who were attempting to summit Everest. In the following series of events, many of the commercial as well as private climbing teams were caught in a storm above 8000 meters, which is also referred to as the ‘death zone‘.

The Mount Everest disaster of 1996 killed almost eight people. They were descending from the Everest. To further add on, during the Everest Expedition 1996, more than 12 people died. Who thought they would meet such a deadly storm on their descent, which would give them a cold death?

Several factors led to their death, including exhaustion due to their ascent journey, minimal oxygen, and freezing cold.

Till now, it is regarded as the biggest saddening event to take place on Everest.

It created a big buzz and a big question mark on the approach & the risks of commercial climbing. Soon after the climbing safety rules became and, it made the mountaineering organizations change the way they organize expeditions. The only good thing that happened; all credit to this tragic Mount Everest disaster of 1996.

Following that 1996 Everest disaster, one massive lesson it gave to the mountaineers is that safety always comes first before ambition. They only cared about reaching the summit, despite the extreme exhaustion and bad weather, which led to their death.

What happened in the 1996 Mount Everest disaster?

In the month of May 1996, many climbing teams, mainly two big commercial guiding companies, went through one of the most unfortunate incidents in mountaineering history. To be more specific, on May 10-11, they were struck by a sudden blizzard while climbing high up in the “death zone” above 8,000 meters.

Such an unexpected scenario created a situation of nervousness and a state of confusion. They were exhausted and got trapped because of the heavy storm. As a result, a total of eight climbers died that day. It brought revolutionary changes in commercial climbing, prioritizing safety over client pressure.

Timeline of the 1996 Mount Everest Disaster

May 8-9, 1996

Multiple expedition teams led by Rob Hall (Adventure Consultants) and Scott Fischer (Mountain Madness) prepared for a summit push. The following group of climbers acclimatized and remained at Camp IV (8,000m). Even then, the weather forecast was pretty sure about an incoming storm.

May 10, 1996

In the early morning, climbers were ready for the final ascent to the summit. Many of them from different teams reached the summit in the afternoon. At that time, the weather was getting too freaky. In that very moment, all of a sudden, a blizzard struck in the late afternoon. Having been caught at 8,000 meters in the “death zone,” the struggle was real. They had to go through a lot, including extreme cold, exhaustion, and low oxygen.

May 11, 1996

After going through unbearable pain due to frostbite and exhaustion, a total of eight climbers died. Some of the victims were Rob Hall, Doug Hansen, Yasuko Namba, and Tsewang Samanla. Sherpas and surviving team members rescued some, but many were stuck in miserable conditions.

The 1996 Everest disaster broke the hearts of the whole climbing community worldwide and even raised questions about the commercialization of Everest.

What caused the 1996 Mount Everest disaster?

The 1996 Everest disaster is nothing short of a mountain unleashing its fury. For this tragic moment to happen, there are several factors in play. The first one is overcrowding. There was a traffic jam of people trying to hit the summit on the same day; too many people on narrow routes.

Climbers were pushing for the summit even when it was already too late to return safely. That was another cause. Since all the climbers were above 8000 meters, it made them slow, exhausted, and short of breath.

Last but the most obvious cause is the sudden storm. It hit them unexpectedly, which caught them off guard, making the journey even tougher with freezing winds and extreme cold. There may be pressure on commercial expeditions also to hit the summit, which the clients paid for, even in the worst possible state.

So in the end, overcrowding, high altitude effects, pressure on guides, and not sticking to the turnaround time rule all played a part in causing the deaths of eight climbers in just one day.

How many people died in the 1996 Mount Everest disaster?

A total of 8 climbers died during the 1996 Mount Everest disaster, and all that too in the two-day interval, May 10–11. Hence, it is considered one of the worst days in the mountain’s history.

1996 Mount Everest Disaster Deaths

Here’s the list of the climbers who tragically died in the Mount Everest disaster of 1996:

• Rob Hall: One of the main men, the expedition leader of the Adventure Consultants Expedition, and one of the highly experienced guides.
• Doug Hansen: One of the clients of Adventure Consultants, a New Zealand-based mountain guiding company.
• Yasuko Namba: Another client of Adventure Consultants (on the team led by Hall, just like Doug Hansen).
• Scott Fischer: Expedition leader of the Mountain Madness Expedition (a Seattle-based mountaineering and trekking company), a highly experienced mountaineer.
• Tsuneo Hasegawa: An independent climber.
• Chen Yu-Nan: Member of the Taiwanese National Expedition.
• Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa: Fischer’s lead Sherpa.
• Ngawang Topche Sherpa: Sherpa with the Taiwanese team.

These were the 8 people who were found dead during the storm.

Who died in the 1996 Mount Everest disaster?

8 deaths were recorded during the Mount Everest disaster of 1996. Let’s get to know the climbers who lost their lives:

Rob Hall

Nationality: New Zealand

Rob Hall was the leader of the Adventure Consultants Expedition company. Apart from that, he was one of the well-known Everest guides who had successfully led many clients to the summit in the past. In 1996, he was with his client Doug Hansen, who was in a miserable state, and he tried to push for the summit through thick and thin.

Rob Hall was trying to help Doug Hansen on the South Summit even though the weather was going crazy. Poor Hansen was too exhausted and wasn’t in a state to descend. However, Hall survived the night; he made radio contact with his team. While he was about to die, he also made a phone call to his pregnant wife in New Zealand.

Hall died on May 11, lying in the mountain near the South Summit.

Doug Hansen

Nationality: USA

A year before 1996, Doug Hansen had tried to attempt the Everest but couldn’t do so and returned in 1996 with a clear goal in his mind. Hansen was struggling too much during the climb; he had barely any energy left to move quickly. Hall stayed with him, making sure to get him to the summit, but failed to do so.

Hansen died near the Hillary step at night with extreme exhaustion.

Yasuko Namba

Nationality: Japan

Yasuko Namba was a 47-year-old Japanese woman climber (the oldest to the summit during that time). She was with the Hall’s team and reached the top along with the other members. As the blizzard struck, she and other team members got stuck near the South Col (8,000 m).

Exhaustion and fatigue on the descent made it nearly impossible to stay alive. She couldn’t survive the freezing night despite the valiant efforts to rescue her by fellow climber Beck Weathers.

Scott Fischer

Nationality: USA

Scott Fischer was a highly renowned American mountaineer and the leader of the Mountain Madness expedition. Having the previous experience of Summiting Everest, before he was the lead of a team. He, too, fell into the vicious circle of exhaustion and lack of oxygen during descent and passed away in no time.

Although with the brave efforts of his sherpa, Lopsang Jangbu, who tried his best to help him, but didn’t work for long. He died in the storm as he was left near the balcony.

Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa

Nationality: Nepal

Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa was quite young and one of the strongest Sherpas. During the summit day, he not only performed his usual duties, but alongside that, he even helped climbers by physically pulling them up using a rope. Sadly, he too passed away due to altitude sickness and exhaustion during the descent.

Chen Yu-Nan

Nationality: Taiwan

Chen Yu-Nan was a member of the Taiwanese team. Unlike other mountaineers, the cause of his death is different. He slipped and fell while crossing a dangerous section near the summit ridge while climbing up.

Ngawang Topche Sherpa

Nationality: Nepal

Ngawang Topche Sherpa was a Sherpa working with the Taiwanese team. He fell seriously ill with altitude sickness during the climb just before the summit day. Although hard efforts were put in to help him, he passed away shortly after.

Tsuneo Hasegawa

Nationality: Japan

Tsuneo Hasegawa was a renowned Japanese alpinist. He was a famous name when it came to successfully summiting the world’s toughest mountains. He was more of an independent climber, not a part of that climbing team, but he was on Everest at that time.

He too couldn’t survive the scary storm tragically and died.

Do you know on the same day (May 10, 1996) a similar incident happened when a group of climbers attempted to reach the summit from the north. The same heavy storm killed them, and one of the popular figure was Tsewang Paljor, a 28-year-old Indian climber who was later nicknamed “Green Boots,”. The 1996 Mount Everest disaster happened on the south side of the Everest while Green boots died on the north (Tibet) side both in the same 1996 storm.

Who survived the Mount Everest disaster of 1996?

The 1996 Mount Everest disaster is not only about tragedy and pain, but also has survival stories of climbers who went through unbearable conditions to come through alive. Here is a list of the 1996 Mount Everest disaster survivors:

1996 Mount Everest Disaster Survivors​

Beck Weathers

Nationality: USA, Climbing Team: Adventure Consultants

Beck Weathers’ survival story is amazing; in fact, a miracle. During the climb, he became blinded and was left out by other climbing members twice. Still, he managed to survive as he regained consciousness after a night in the storm (only god knows how!). He even managed to crawl back to the camp, being half-frozen, which is beyond possibility.

Although he survived the deadly disaster, he suffered extreme frostbite and, unfortunately, had to cut off his right arm, left hand, and parts of both feet.

Jon Krakauer

Nationality: USA, Climbing Team: Adventure Consultants

Jon Krakauer is a journalist and mountaineer who was on Mount Everest for a different purpose than the climbers. He was there to cover a story for Outside magazine. Krakauer successfully summited and made it back to the camp, although what he saw with his own eyes was deeply instilled in his mind.

Later, he wrote a book related to the 1996 Everest disaster, covering his firsthand experience, which was named “Into Thin Air”. It became the best-selling book, providing a spotlight on the tragic incident worldwide.

Anatoli Boukreev

Nationality: Kazakhstan, Climbing Team: Mountain Madness Expedition

Anatoli Boukreev was a highly experienced and skilled Russian-Kazakh guide. During this tragic incident, he showed some excellent heroism by making multiple solo rescue trips into the storm. And he brought back weakened climbers to camp. He covered that later in his book named “The Climb”.

Charlotte Fox

Nationality: USA, Climbing Team: Mountain Madness Expedition

Charlotte Fox was an American mountaineer. She reached the summit with Fischer’s team. She was caught in the storm too during descent, just like other climbers. But she managed to survive all thanks to the Boukreev’s effort.

Sandy Hill Pittman

Nationality: USA, Climbing Team: Mountain Madness Expedition

Sandy Hill Pittman is a socialite and journalist who was with the Fischers’ team. With the help of Boukreev and some Sherpas, she managed to survive successfully. Having left with no energy because of the storm, she was pulled back to the camp.

Neil Beidleman

Nationality: USA, Climbing Team: Mountain Madness Guide

Neil Beidleman is Fischer’s American guide. He spent every ounce of his energy to help climbers during the storm. Due to his valiant efforts, multiple lives were saved.

Mike Groom

Nationality: Australia, Climbing Team: Adventure Consultants Guide

Mike Groom helped to rescue clients during the storm. Sadly, though, Yasuko Namba tragically died even after proper efforts.

Klev Schoening

Nationality: USA, Climbing Team: Mountain Madness Expedition

Another survivor is Klev Schoening. He survived and tried hard, but struggled to help during the storm.

Tim Madsen

Nationality: USA, Climbing Team: Mountain Madness Expedition

Tim Madsen survived even after getting trapped in the storm the whole night.

Survivors survived because of luck, immense determination, and willpower. 

Who was to blame for the 1996 Everest disaster?

It wasn’t caused by a single person or mistake, but rather the combination of several things led to it. Let’s check them out:

Overcrowding

One thing that was clear was that too many climbers were headed in the same direction, creating traffic jams on narrow ridges.

Not Following Turnaround Times

This was one of the faults that played a role in the happening of the accident. Both Rob Hall and Scott Fischer’s teams ignored the recommended 2:00 PM turnaround rule. They pushed it, which left them high on the mountain. And this is exactly the moment the storm rolled in.

Pressure From Clients

The guides had the duty to take the clients along with them and reach the summit anyhow, which is why they paid them. So, in peer pressure, they had no option but to turn back, even when the conditions were not in their favour.

The Storm

The 1996 Everest disaster wouldn’t have happened if the deadly blizzard hadn’t struck on May 10, 1996. The main blame goes to nature itself, which we can’t control anyway.

Not-so-good Leadership

Rob Hall and Scott Fisher were both excellent leaders and mountaineers, no doubt about that. Even though they made some errors in judgment, maybe because of exhaustion, high altitude, and the freezing cold, which played a part in that.

In the end, it’s not a person’s fault for causing this massive Mount Everest disaster of 1996, nor is a person to blame for this. It’s a mix of unpredictable weather, reaching summit pressure, and some human errors, everything contributing in a small or big manner that led to this painful tragedy.

1996 Mount Everest Disaster Bodies

Recovering bodies on Everest is a really uphill task, given the extreme altitude and unpredictable weather conditions. Many climbers who die there are left there on the mountain. So, what happened to the bodies of climbers who died in the 1996 Everest disaster? Let’s unfold the mystery:

1) Rob Hill: He died near the South Summit (below 8,700m), and his body is still there. As per his wife’s request, she wanted his body to be there on the Everest as it is.

2) Doug Hansen: He died near the Hillary Step. His body was visible for some years later disappeared, maybe buried by ice and snow.

3) Yasuko Namba: Her body was initially at the South Col (around 8,000m). Later, it was brought down in 1997 and sent back to Japan.

4) Scott Fischer: His body was left near the Balcony (around 8,400m). It is still on the Everest and is occasionally seen by the climbers.

5) Tsuneo Hasegawa: His body was not recovered, maybe buried under snow/ice.

6) Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa: He died later in an avalanche. His body was recovered and given funeral rites as per Sherpa tradition.

7) Chen Yu-Nan: He fell into a crevasse during the storm and died. His body was never recovered, and most probably remains in the crevasse.

8) Ngawang Topche Sherpa: He died of HAPE (high-altitude pulmonary edema). He was dragged back to the base camp, where he passed away. His body was returned for proper cremation according to the local traditions.

1996 Mount Everest Disaster Books

There are several books on the 1996 Everest disaster written by the survivors themselves, sharing their personal insights and journey from their own eyes.

Into Thin Air By Jon Krakauer (1997)

The journalist Jon Krakauer himself wrote this book who was in Rob Hall’s Adventure Consultants team. The book has the personal touch, emotional feel, and tragedy, making it an international bestseller.

The Climb by Anatoli Boukreev & G. Weston DeWalt (1997)

Boukreev was a Mountain Madness guide himself and played a major role in rescuing many climbers. In this book, he shares his personal opinions, the decisions and actions he chose during the storm.

Left for Dead: My Journey Home from Everest by Beck Weathers (2000)

Left for Dead is written by the very lucky man, Beck Weathers. He survived even after being left twice by other climbers, given the condition he was in. There was no hope of his surviving at all, but he miraculously survived. The book tells not only how he survived but also the way it changed his life after that; highly transforming and motivating.

After the Wind by Lou Kasischke (2014)

Lou Kasischke was a member of Rob Hall’s team. The book that he has written is focused on decision-making, emotions during the stormy night. And most importantly, he shares his opinion on why he turned back, which resulted in saving his life.

Dark Summit by Nick Heil (2008)

This book by Nick Heil doesn’t directly relate to the 1996 Everest disaster, yet it shares the insights regarding the commercialization of Everest. It also discusses how the Mount Everest disaster of 1996 changed the climbing approach & practices.

Everest: Mountain Without Mercy by Broughton Coburn (1997)

The following book was published by the National Geographic. It covers the Mount Everest disaster of 1996 and more about the history of Everest in a captivating manner.

1996 Mount Everest Disaster Movies

There are two different movies released capturing the incident of Mount Everest disaster of 1996.

1) Everest (Released in 2015)

Everest is one of the popular movies showing the 1996 Everest disaster in depth. This Hollywood feature film is directed by Baltasar Kormákur.

Movie Casts: Jason Clarke as Rob Hall, Jake Gyllenhaal as Scott Fischer, Josh Brolin as Beck Weathers, and John Hawkes as Doug Hansen

Movie Highlights: Covers the event of May 10–11, 1996, the heavy storm, human emotions, and the agony of climbers.

2) Into Thin Air: Death on Everest (Released in 1997)

It is a TV movie that is based on the bestselling book ‘Into Thin Air’ by Jon Krakauer.

Movie Casts: Peter Horton as Scott Fischer and Nat Parker as Rob Hall

Movie Highlights: It shows angles and dramatization from Krakauer’s perspective. The audience who watched it kind of gave mixed reviews because some scenes or details weren’t completely true to what actually happened.

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1996 Mount Everest Disaster Documentary

There are altogether 4 documentaries based on the 1996 Mount Everest disaster. Let’s get to know them:

Storm Over Everest

The following documentary was released way back in 2008 by the filmmaker David Breashears. Not only is he the filmmaker, but he is a climber himself and was present on Everest in 1996. Because of the real presence in the accident territory, Storm over Everest features in-depth coverage of what happened in the storm of 10-11 May 1996.

Moreover, it has also shown various interviews with the survivors of the incident along with the Sherpas.

Remnants of Everest: The 1996 Tragedy

Remnants of Everest is more similar to the Storm over Everest, which was released just a year earlier in 2007. This documentary covers the survival stories of climbers and showcases the incident in a more emotional manner, and it is quite intense.

Everest, also known as the 1998 IMAX documentary

Compared to other documentaries, the 1998 IMAX documentary shows real footage and is more factual. It provides a closer view of the disaster since the IMAX team was on the Everest during that time. It has a shorter runtime of around 45 minutes and focuses more on attention to detail, including the ascent, struggles, and the tragedy itself. It is narrated by Liam Neeson.

Seconds from Disaster – “Into the Death Zone”

Seconds from Disaster – “Into the Death Zone” is the complete opposite of an emotional rollercoaster; it provides more of an analytical point of view of the incident. It sheds light on every step and minute details of the disaster, from weather changes to decision-making, and all.

It is basically an episode of National Geographic’s famous documentary series referred to as ‘Seconds from Disaster’.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

What went wrong on Everest in 1996?

In 1996, there was a Mount Everest disaster where eight people died on the mountain when a heavy storm hit the multiple climbing teams. They were caught above 8,000 meters when the blizzard hit, taking their lives in a tragic way.

Why couldn’t Rob Hall be saved?

Rob Hall couldn’t be saved because he was stuck near the South Summit (8,700m), which is deep in the “death zone.” Rescues at that altitude are near impossible due to the thin oxygen. And the other reason was that he was too exhausted at that time, trying to help his client, Doug Hansen.

How many people have died on Mount Everest since 1996?

As per the multiple sources, there isn’t an exact number; however, the number of people dying on Mount Everest since the 1996 disaster ranges from 150 to 170.

Did Beck Weathers lose his hands?

Yes, Beck Weathers lost both his hands. Due to the frostbite he suffered during the 1996 Everest disaster. It was so severe that the doctors had to cut off his right arm below the elbow, all fingers and thumb on his left hand.

Did they find Doug’s body on Everest?

Doug Hansen died near the Hillary Step after struggling during the descent with Rob Hall. Yes, Doug’s body was discovered after the disaster, but it had disappeared after some time; maybe it was buried under snow and ice.

How accurate is the movie Everest?

The 2015 movie Everest captured the true events of the 1996 Everest disaster. However, being a Hollywood movie, not a full documentary, it doesn’t showcase every detail of the climber’s story, and not 100% accurate.

Is Doug Hansen still alive?

No, Doug Hansen is not alive. He died during the descent near the Hillary Step because of extreme exhaustion and low oxygen levels, despite the tremendous efforts by Rob Hall to rescue him.

Did Rob Hall talk to his wife before he died?

Yes, Rob Hall had a satellite phone call with his wife, Jan Arnold, before he died. His final goodbye to his love was a really emotional moment, as she was pregnant with their daughter.

What were Rob Hall’s last words?

Rob Hall’s last words to his wife, Jan Arnold, in New Zealand, were simple yet heartbreaking. He simply said, “I love you. Sleep well, sweetheart. Please don’t worry too much.” These were the words she heard before the connection ended.

How cold was it when Rob Hall died?

During the time when Rob Hall died on Everest, it was freezing cold. When the blizzard struck, temperatures dropped to around –30°C to –40°C (–22°F to –40°F). The hurricane-force winds may have made it even colder, closer to –60°C (–76°F), making survival nearly impossible.

Where was Rob Hall when he died?

Rob Hall died near the South Summit of Everest. The altitude there is around 8,700 meters (28,600 feet). This area is also referred to as the “death zone,” where the oxygen level is very marginal.