Kloof dad survives avalanches on Mount Everest

A KLOOF father was relieved to be reunited with his family after he survived a traumatic encounter with massive avalanches on Mount Everest.

Fifty-one-year-old Rob Bentley shared chilling details about his experience on the mountain, which was affected by the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Nepal.

The avalanche on 25 April, which caused extensive damage to Mount Everest’s base camp, claimed the lives of at least 18 people and left several others injured.

Bentley, a Pinetown businessman who had climbed Mount Kilimanjaro prior to this trip, said, “Sean Wisedale, the expedition leader, is a friend of mine.

“I contacted him and told him I am keen on climbing Everest, although I am not a climber. He agreed and appointed me as the base camp manager and the logistics manager.

“Our team of five, which was part of the South African Mount Everest Expedition 2015, left on 22 March. We spent the first week in Kathmandu, just clearing all the equipment and goods through customs.

“We then flew from Kathmandu to an airport called Lukla. We thereafter hiked all the way to base camp, and that took us around eight days. During that time we passed through numerous villages and did a few climatisation exercises.

“After eight days we arrived at base camp, and prior to us arriving there, our sherpas and porters had already established camp for us.

“We were a little disappointed that our camp was on the outer wing of base camp, and it was far from the entrance to Everest. But this saved our lives because it was the centre of the camp that got taken out.

“We settled in for three days and decided not to spend too much time at the Khumbu Icefall as 16 sherpas lost their lives in one day last year during an avalanche.

“We departed base camp and we climbed another peak in the area, called Island Peak. We then returned to base camp, ready for our first rotation/trip on Everest.

“The team was due to leave on the evening of 25 April. Around midday on the same day we were sitting in our communal tents, drinking coffee, and suddenly we felt the ground move. This was the start of the earthquake.

“All we could hear was this horrendous noise of avalanches and we were all looking around, trying to establish where they were coming from.

“We then looked up and saw big boulders rolling down the hill, but fortunately they were going into a gully. While watching the boulders we turned around and saw this high and huge avalanche rolling down towards us.

“The four climbers bolted back into the tent. I ran to higher ground, and a plume of snow dust hit me from behind. I just flattened myself on the ground.

“Once everything fizzled out I went inside a tent, and this stage I picked up my phone and videoed myself. The video went viral on Facebook and international news channels.

“I then found my team members. When we went to check on the rest of base camp we realised that this was more than a minor avalanche and that there must have been fatalities. I then assisted in the first aid tent. Fortunately, I was able to use a satellite phone to contact my family and let them know I was safe.”

On 6 May, the team made the call to depart base camp after the Nepalese government officially closed Mount Everest.