May 23rd 2002 - By telephone from ABC

On the 17th May at 0I:30hrs, Yamada Atsushi and Phurba Tashi Sherpa departed camp 4 at 8300m. Five hours later, they summited Mt. Everest. This was a strong team and Yomada is particularly fit. He returned all the way to ABC by 17:00 hrs the same day.

Shinji Tamura has climbed to 7500m and is waiting for a narrow weather window, anticipated on the 25th May, to attempt a summit with Loppasang Temba Sherpa.

Currently, it is snowing at ABC and the windy conditions rarely alleviate.

The third and final North Col team is at ABC. They will climb to the col in the next three days.

Lou Marino reached camp 2 enduring increasing pain in his left shoulder. Atfer 10 days his conditon showed no sign of improving. He returned to Kathmandu and Chamonix where a consultant in nearby Annecy recommends an operation to relieve a pinched nerve. Lou plans to be back next year.

The rest of the expedition expect to be back in Kathmandu on the 2nd June.