In May 2023, Global Rescue coordinated one of the most daring high-altitude extractions ever attempted on Mount Everest. Malaysian climber Tharumalingam Ravichandran, attempting a solo summit, was discovered by 18-year-old Gelje Sherpa collapsed at 8,300 meters in the mountain’s notorious “death zone.” Exhausted, semi-conscious, and suffering from severe frostbite and high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE), Ravichandran had been stranded for more than 30 hours in life-threatening conditions.

 

 

Recognizing the urgency, Gelje Sherpa began an extraordinary descent. Because helicopters cannot safely operate in the extreme altitudes of the death zone, the only option was to move Ravichandran by foot. Battling extreme cold and thin air, Gelje carried him strapped to his back 400 vertical meters down treacherous ice and rock before linking up with Sherpa Ngima Tashi at South Col. Together, they continued another 738 meters down to Camp III (7,400 meters / 24,278 feet).

 

Credit: Gelje Sherpa and Sky News

 
At that altitude, Global Rescue authorized an emergency long-line helicopter extraction—an operation rarely feasible in such thin air—to prevent another night without medical aid. Ravichandran was airlifted to Norvic Hospital in Kathmandu, admitted to intensive care and later made a full recovery before returning to Malaysia for continued treatment.

This mission exemplifies our commitment to rapid response, operational excellence and saving lives, even in the world’s most extreme environments.