The drama concerning Hungarian climber Szilard Suhajda in the summit area of Mount Everest did not end well. Today, the search for the 40-year-old was abandoned – “despite the superhuman efforts of a search team of top Nepalese mountain guides,” according to Suhajda’s team back home.
Three Sherpas, including Gelje Sherpa, one of the winter first ascenders of K2, had climbed up and down several times for hours between the former Hillary Step at around 8,750 meters and the summit at 8,849 meters, searching the terrain on all sides but discovering no trace of Szilard. “Considering the time, weather and terrain conditions, there was no further chance of finding the climber alive, so the ground search was called off,” it said.
Apparently suffering from high altitude sickness
Szilard Suhajda, who was climbing without bottled oxygen and without a Sherpa companion, had wanted to reach the summit of Everest last Wednesday. The last GPS signal had been sent at about the height of the Hillary Step. That’s where a descending team had also seen him lying on Thursday, still showing signs of life but apparently suffering from high-altitude cerebral edema.
“The Sherpa guide was assisting his extremely weakened Chinese client down from the summit and was therefore unable to help Szilard in any way, who was also some distance from the climbing route and therefore not connected to the fixed belay rope,” Suhajda’s team let it be known. ” Without a safety rope, his approach (to Szilard) would have been life-threatening.”
On Friday, Italian helicopter rescue pilot and climber Simone Moro dropped off Gelje Sherpa’s search team at Camp 2 at 6,400 meters. Seven hours later, they reached the South Col and, after a short rest, set off toward the summit early Friday evening. But their search was unsuccessful. And so the last hope of being able to save the Hungarian alive died.
On the summits of three eight-thousanders
In Pakistan Szilard had summited Broad Peak (8051 m) in 2014 and in 2019 also became the first Hungarian to scale K2 (8611 meters), both of them without breathing mask. In 2022, he reached the 8516-meter-high summit of Lhotse – without bottled oxygen and Sherpa companion. This spring, Suhajda had wanted to become the first climber in his country to also climb Mount Everest without breathing mask. He apparently paid for the adventure with his life.
Twelve dead, five missing
On Thursday, a Canadian climber had died on Everest. In the spring season, which is now coming to an end, at least twelve people have thus already died on the highest mountain on earth. Including Suhajda, five others are missing. There is virtually no hope of finding them alive.
Another senseless death. I hope he had no children. Dumb, selfish man if he did.
I hope u have none too, lol. Stupod bystander
He did have a child. And decided to risk developing oxygen deprivation and swelling if the brain to go and do this. Climbing a mountain without the necessary supplemental oxygen is almost as stupid as trying to dive to the bottom of the ocean without it. His death was completely predictable.
You are quick to judge.
he has a son. 5 years old
Granted, to an extend.
But, you never know about the story of his life…the inspirations..the failures..and the urge to beat them.
well said…Ms Swati…a life is lost and nothing can bring that back…I hope people reflect on life, purpose, family and friends who will always miss this person…RIP
Comments like that serve no purpose, and reflect poorly on the one saying it.
He had a 5 year old son
Om Mani Padme Hum.
Not fair to criticize people who pursue their passion. He, and his friends and family, all knew the risks, as well as the compulsion that pulls these climbers in. People who ride horses or race cars all take huge risks every time they buckle up. You can die rescuing a family of baby ducks trying to cross a road, as we recently learned in California. It is sad and tragic of course
I think he was too harsh. I do feel it’s important to make adjustments once you become a parent. climbing Everest or previously K2 isnt equivelant to rescuing ducks as one commenter put it. It seems at least, externally, more akin to an addiction. A desire to get a certain feeling. or perhaps to be the first of your country. Your childeren hardly care when their father doesn’t never arrives home. Perhaps it makes more sense to do to your climbing before you bring a dependent child into this world, especially when climbing mountains with 1 in 4 chances of death. Racecar drivers, duck family savers, and so on, don’t die at even close to that rate. neither do skydivers, pilots, Alaskan fisherman. itd be hard to find anything more dangerous then summiting one after another 8000ers without oxygen. I think it’s fair to ask the question of responsibility, but maybe with a little less judgement.
That’s harsh. He had been a sucessful climber in the 8,000 meters for years. He tried to do something that, for him– not for us, would have given his life meaning. We don’t know what happened, why he was so far from fixed lines. With cerebral edema you can become confused and disoriented quickly. It is likely he just rolled off the mountain at the former Hilary Step. The Universe has him now and the other 16 who died on Everest this season. May they, and all the previous dead Ever-Rest in their Himalayan Aire.
so is there a standard for how much risk a parent can take like riding a bicycle over a little jump or flying in a helicopter. I suppose that normal people would prioritize their family.
Better stop climbing if the conditions are not safe instead of to be hero or make a personal record. It’s unworthy.
Quit judging. Take a look at yourself and make needed changes. Do you think that it would make his son and family feel any better after reading your comment?
very unfortunate indeed ! climbing mount everest solo without o2 is very high risk ! poor man has probably paid with his life ! May his soul rest in peace.
We should send prayers of comfort to his family who will never have full closure. Prayers of support while they grieve. We all have mountains in our life that we have climbed, corporate ladders, the biggest wave or the best job to an almost impossible task. We are all a little selfish. I understand your feeling for his his son and how he will now have to grow up without his father and how unnecessary his actions appear. What drives a person to take on such a dangerous adventure, because it is there. Peace and prayers to all.
He had a very young son 🙁
People with children die every day
he has a son….
It is sad to know many warriors and heroes have died while ascending the Everest, only very few champions have made it proudly to the top and bringing good names to their countries as well.
I believe that mount Everest has become haunted as years go by.Many souls are called there to just bring themselves to death to both experienced and inexperinced climbers.
I salute the courage and bravery those who have challenged themselves to the top…which i have never dreamt of…and it is truly amazing to note that some sherpas have made it to the top upteen times….Such enormous strength, committment and dedication!
Someday i wish to camp at the base of the mountain with the help of a guided sherpa since i am at zero experience in cold climate.
I hope you make that come true.
Beautifully said.
Wonder why they do not consider the use of those small GPS tracking devices that give pings at regular intervals and the battery lasts several days or weeks. This could greatly I increase the chance of rescue. I am sure that devices that can in the area and at that altitude are available.
If you read the article you can see he used it But the batteries doesn’t last long in the cold weather at extreme altitude.
He had one but it stopped working after a few days.
Great idea, these should be mandatory and shown that they are in good working order before giving clearance to climb.
He had one, it stopped working
RIP Skilard… better to perish young in a pursuit of passion than an old sitting in some easy chair hoping someone will come in to change your diaper.
I was a teenager my grandfather died. I told my Dad that I didn’t want to live to be 83. He replied ; “Oh yeah ? You will when you’re 82 big shot !”.
You can’t spit in the face of death and expect good results. while I understand one’s desires to push the envelope, somewhere commen sense should be used. Most have the goal to summit. However the true goal should be to summit if possible but make it back alive. More ghosts to roam the higher reaches of earth now.
Lack of oxygen at that height so common sense is impaired.
The goal of every climber is always to make it back alive. It is constantly emphasized, when enjoying the summit, that “ your climb is only half finished.” But it is a high risk venture. Higher, likely, than sky diving or free climbing in Yosemite ( not sure about this one ) . To be honest, even surfing is a high risk sport .
As a climber myself, an understand the draw to the mountains. I’ve never been even close to climbing at their level but I sure love the mountains and feel so close to them. May God rest his soul.
To each his own, they are all great achievers, his choice, he new the consequences. as his wife understands. He was making a statement for his country, and himself. sports take a lot of people, as well as cripple. Please try not to mock, or judge his achievements, as they were his choice. He was a true sportsman.🙏❤️
totally in agreement with the recognition of ultimate courage and strength bravo
Sad to hear the search have to call off. Hope all safety must be put in top list before a climber allowed to summit this beautiful mountain…..
He died doing what he loved or in pursuit thereof. Why do people think to be clever or nasty about his decision to do what he chose is for you to criticise or judge. Rather say nothing because that too is a response. Respecting people’s choices are important more especially if you want yours respected…….let go of your critical opinions…..
He died for nothing or in another matter said he died just to be another name on the long fatality list. You still don’t understand why some of the people are critic. It’s because his choice, therefore death, was senseless and dumb, like someone correctly pointed earlier. If this is your passion, if this is your dream, fine, anyone can accept this. Take any safety measures you can, invent some new if you’re able to, pay 10 more extra sherpas to carry your ass and go, then come back. But from this point, to go just for being no. 1 in your country who reach the top without O2 or to go just to beat i don’t know what kind of record in case of other climbers, knowing that you have a child waiting for you at home, it’s a very long way. Your choice becomes selfish, pointless and yeah, stupid, very stupid.
well said, at least someone on here has wisdom.
He died because continued climbing after the turning-point signal… what did we learn from this?
Rest in peace, Suhajda. U had already achieved so much more than most of us dream of. And u understood the enormous risks. Everest wants u to rest alongside her. Sleep well, u deserve the rest.
Reminds me of Alex, Lowe’s death at age 40 on Shishapangma in 1999. Fortunately his wife, Jenny, who I have met and talked to, married Conrad Anker, who adopted his best friend’s children. I hope this climber’s wife finds the right man to help raise his son.
I think this people are silly to try to conquer nature, risking their life and not think about the likely consequences.
Too bad, condolences .
I also wonder whether it’s the right thing to do, to take on such a high risk endeavor whilst you have a child to raise. That being said, it’s not my decision, I’d be lucky to make it past 16K and I doubt that anyone eho attemts it doesn’t completely believe that they’ll be coming back. I wish that he had.
His pursuit to beat Everest on solo trip without mask was larger then Mt Everest height. It fine for me if the family coundnt find his remains……..let him rest in peace now where he belong.
close it. leave it for the gods not for those with nothing better to do. it is an ego tip. we hope these people don’t reach the moon. list those who have dead on the ascent/ decent. no one cares.
Times switch to become another known alpinist in accidents is worth it not any matter to few someone’s!
A man needs to know his limitations. R. I. P. Aloha.
Most people comment on his selfishness and neglect towards his family.
He was a trained climber and trained for a long time to achieve his passions having had many successful mounts above 8000m from before.
While it is more like an obsession at least he felt good while doing it and his family was aware of the high risks as they supported him always.
If everyone supported him, then I do not think people have the right to judge. Yes the child lost his dad but why is it a bigger issue than being a very successful father climbing up the corporate ladder (all in their lives) earning billions for his family while he probably meet them 1 day a year and abandon all emotional relations with his “loved“ ones.
Value system of society is a joke in general. Being obsessed with money and therefore neglect your family is totally OK and considered even “necessary”.
The problem is probably with being so obsessed in doing something that it involves negative outcomes as well. But it is much more applicable for wealth/power- obsessed people who basically destroy the Earth.
These climbers at least only risk their lives affecting only their families.