Expeditions in limbo as Sherpas leave Mt Everest base camp

Expeditions to Mount Everest are in a limbo this season as Sherpa mountain guides and foreign climbers started descending from base camps following the deadliest mountaineering accident on the world's highest peak that claimed 16 lives.
Confusion has been created among the Sherpa guides whether or not to continue mountain activity after the deadly avalanche killed their colleagues in the worst disaster on the 8,848-metre Everest last Friday.
The mountain guides have started leaving base camps after the incident and the foreign climbers have also cancelled their expeditions, confirmed Ang Tshering Sherpa, president of Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA).
The NMA is the private organisation that issues permits to many smaller peaks besides promoting mountain tourism in the country.

Nearly 200 Sherpa guides, technical personnel and climbers have already left base camps.
Dozens of expeditions have cancelled their plans to reach the top of the world following the disaster.

The tourism ministry officials were not available for comment in this regard.
The assurance given by the government to provide compensation to the kin of the deceased Sherpas, to raise insurance cover of the supporting staff and to provide treatment to the injured Sherpas could not motivate the mountain guides.
Boycott by Sherpas and the devastating avalanches on the Everest have dashed hopes of foreign climbers reaching the summit this year.

This time 350 people have been granted permission to scale the Everest.
The government has announced extension of the expedition permission by five years which means that those reluctant to scale Everest this year can climb the peak any time within the next five years while they were also allowed to scale other mountains in the country by acquiring approval from the ministry.
The cancellation of the expedition will cost a lot to the government as well as the tourism entrepreneurs as Nepal heavily relies on tourism for earning foreign currency.