Former British paratrooper Martin Hewitt posts video at Mount Everest summit

British climber reveals how he was forced to push past 100 people to survive as his oxygen began to run out after he scaled overcrowded Everest

  • Martin Hewitt, 38, has posted a video of himself at the summit of Mount Everest 
  • The former British paratrooper said he was forced to pass more than 100 people
  • His group was forced to overtake them, because oxygen levels were running low
  • Eleven have died in the past nine days while attempting to reach the summit
  • Bad weather has cut the climbing window, leaving people waiting in big queues 

A former British paratrooper has taken a video of himself at the summit of Mount Everest, after he was forced to pass more than 100 climbers to ensure his own survival. 

Martin Hewitt, 38, said he was forced to pass the climbers to ensure that he did not run out of oxygen. 

Mr Hewitt’s amazing footage shows him at the summit of the mountain, with the rest of his climbing team in line behind him. 

The experienced mountaineer wrote that the group had to ‘push ourselves hard’ and that ‘all our training, preparation and teamwork paid off’. 

Mr Hewitt's group were in danger of running out of oxygen on the climb

Martin Hewitt, 38, has posted a video of himself at the summit of Mount Everest, after his group were forced to overtake 100 people

He added that they were forced to overtake climbers, because many of them were ill-prepared for the climb.

The queues witnessed by Mr Hewitt have become commonplace over the past two weeks.

Treacherous weather has cut the climbing window, leaving mountaineers waiting in long queues, risking exhaustion and running out of oxygen. 

Treacherous weather has cut the climbing window, leaving mountaineers waiting in long queues

Treacherous weather has cut the climbing window, leaving mountaineers waiting in long queues

Eleven people have died in the past nine days while attempting to reach the summit. 

The latest victim was 62-year-old American lawyer Christopher John Kulish, who died suddenly on Monday on his descent after completing the climb. 

Elia Sakaily posted this picture while he was climbing. A dead body can be seen still tethered dangling from the mountain

Elia Sakaily posted this picture while he was climbing. A dead body can be seen still tethered dangling from the mountain

Canadian filmmaker Elia Saikaly posted several photos on social media of the carnage on the way up the mountain.

‘I cannot believe what I saw up there. Death. Carnage. Chaos. Lineups. Dead bodies on the route and in tents at camp 4,’ he said. 

‘As I documented the team climbing the iconic step, my mind raced and empathized with every person who struggled to stay alive while undoubtedly questioning their own humanity, ethics and integrity.

‘This poor human being perched 7000ft above the Western CWM for everyone to observe was a reminder of each of our own mortality.’  

Others have told how ruthless and ‘obsessed’ climbers become with getting to the top that they ignore people who may be struggling.

An Australian man gets evacuated from Mount Everest on Monday. He was found unconscious

An Australian man gets evacuated from Mount Everest on Monday. He was found unconscious 

‘I asked people for water and no one gave me any,’ 18-year-old Rizza Alee from Kashmir said.

‘People are really obsessed with the summit. 

‘They are ready to kill themselves for the summit.’ 

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