Everest

kurtainsider · 19-05-2019 10:32PM

Richard Hillman wrote: »

The government are now weighing in (Simon Coveney) offering financial support.

Government will help family of Trinity professor who went missing on Everest 'in any way possible' https://jrnl.ie/4642667

Comments closed for some reason. Is this guy connected to the media/political establishment in some way?

Simon Coveney was sailing around the world for Chernobyl when his father died.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/the-voyage-from-chernobyl-1.218259

Honest question: Did the Coveney family fund their own round the world yachting holiday or was it funded from the money that was given as a donation to a charity. If they funded it from their own resources fair play to them.

holliehobbie · 19-05-2019 10:37PM

It says they bought the boat and funded the journey themselves in that article.

kurtainsider · 19-05-2019 10:43PM

holliehobbie wrote: »

It says they bought the boat and funded the journey themselves in that article.

As I said in my post - fair play to them so.

Nobelium · 19-05-2019 10:47PM

Crusty Jocks wrote: »

From RTE

"The GPS worn by Mr Lawless was found almost 500 metres from where he fell, and experts say it is possible that the device became detached from Mr Lawless."

From BBC

"It has been reported that he went missing at an altitude of 8,300m (27,230ft), in an area known as "the balcony", near the mountain's summit."

He's gone for good.

Thanks, does anyone know yet what height/altitude Seamus Lawless's (RIP) remains are lying at ?

Hal3000 · 19-05-2019 10:49PM

kurtainsider wrote: »

No he loved it. He'd actually have loved it even more if, like this Everest expedition, he'd hit upon a wheeze to get other people to fund it. He had to pay for his hobby all by himself.

Why is it that some self indulgent, expensive, destructive-of-family, dangerous pursuits are seen by some as heroic while other, less selfish, ones aren't?

I don't consider anyone who summits a mountain heroic...

Hero's are people volunteering week in week to make our communities better. Hero's are human rights defenders taking a stand for what they belive in. Hero's are doctors, nurses, firemen saving lives everyday. Hero's are people who overcome serious illness - disability and still manage to get up each morning and press on. Hero's are single parents raising children day in day out with no support. Hero's are people who tirelessly campaign to improve our world and fight for the rights of the marginalised. Sorry, but I don't consider mountaineering heroic...

tuxy · 19-05-2019 10:49PM

Nobelium wrote: »

Thanks, does anyone know yet what height/altitude Seamus Lawless's (RIP) remains are lying at ?

No one knows, they believe he fell from the area know as the balcony but it's impossible to say how far he fell.

irishgeo · 19-05-2019 10:51PM

do people not realise where he fell. in the death zone and above camp 4, he sadly isnt going to be found or brought back.

tuxy · 19-05-2019 10:51PM

Hal3000 wrote: »

I don't consider anyone who summits a mountain heroic...

Thanks, I've done many over the years both in Ireland and the UK. I don't think much of it, it's just an enjoyable walk for me but I'm happy someone has an appreciation for what I do.

NIMAN · 19-05-2019 10:52PM

Nobelium wrote: »

Thanks, does anyone know yet what height/altitude Seamus Lawless's (RIP) remains are lying at ?

They don't know where the body is, so they can't say.

Mickeroo · 19-05-2019 10:52PM

Nobelium wrote: »

Does anyone know yet what height/altitude Seamus Lawless's (RIP) remains are lying at ?

What's the maximum height/altitude bodies have been successfully retrieved from with acceptable risk ?

Not sure if it answers that specific question but this is worth a read: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/05/27/the-extraordinary-cost-of-retrieving-dead-bodies-from-mount-everest/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.656a110a7b9f

Fr Tod Umptious · 19-05-2019 10:54PM

tuxy wrote: »

I agree with this viewpoint but if that gofundme from his pregnant wife is genuine and she thinks that he's been living at 8000m for the last few days and just needs a few sherpas to go up and help him down....... Well he really should have realised she's not very bight and explained what climbing Everest really involves.
I don't think any sane couple would plan this when a baby is due.

Firstly I'm guessing you you say "bight" you meant "bright"

Secondly in a thread with some really really distasteful comments about this man and his family that (possibly)none of us have never meet the one above really jumps the shark I think.

It's one thing to question the guys motives but neither you, I nor anyone else on this thread has just had their loved one go missing thousands of miles away, so lets not start questioning their intelligence.
You have no idea what is going through his wife's mind right now, so don't say she is "not very bight"

God help you if you ever found yourself in such a situation.

tuxy · 19-05-2019 11:01PM

Actually I have just realised I can't even verify if that is really the person that started the gofundmepage.

kurtainsider · 19-05-2019 11:03PM

tuxy wrote: »

Apologies, it has since come to my attention that the gofundme was started by a dishonest colleague of Seamus and it is them that own the €225,000 raised and not the family. Like many others I too was duped.

Tuxy
Could you expand on that a bit please?

0gac3yjefb5sv7 · 19-05-2019 11:03PM

May be a stupid question but would a thermal camera not detect him or would he already be the same temperature as the surrounding snow/ice?

That's assuming a helicopter could even get close which is very unlikely.

Nobelium · 19-05-2019 11:04PM

tuxy wrote: »

Apologies, it has since come to my attention that the gofundme was started by a dishonest colleague of Seamus and it is them that own the €225,000 raised and not the family. Like many others I too was duped.

Edit: actually I have just realised I can't even verify if that is really the person that started the gofundmepage.

How can this be checked ?

NIMAN · 19-05-2019 11:05PM

Pheonix10 wrote: »

May be a stupid question but would a thermal camera not detect him or would he already be the same temperature as the surrounding snow/ice?

That's assuming a helicopter could even get close which is very unlikely.

1) Helicopters can't get to that height.

2) He is likely frozen solid at this stage, so again no to the thermal camera.

All rescues have to be undertaken by a team of climbers. No other way.

kurtainsider · 19-05-2019 11:05PM

Pheonix10 wrote: »

May be a stupid question but would a thermal camera not detect him or would he already be the same temperature as the surrounding snow/ice?

That's assuming a helicopter could even get close which is very unlikely.

Pheonix10
Pull out the old chequebook there and we can test your theories.

shamrock55 · 19-05-2019 11:08PM

mike_ie wrote: »

None. Traditionally that was dictated by common sense - one didn't tackle big mountains without gaining experience on lett difficult mountains. However, Everest is one of the few mountains I know of where there are commercial climbing expeditions, there have been cases (and I have seen a few firsthand on Everest) where there have been climbers who have had no experience but are going through a midlife crisis, and have a chequebook big enough to help them get through it.

As to what the solution is, I don't know. I was actually discussing this last week with a group of climbers - the conclusion we came to was something akin to diving, where you have to log your climbs in the same way you log dives, and can't progress to more difficult or higher climbs unless you have logged a certain number of hours at lower levels. But that comes with its own set of issues.

Wow I'm genuinely shocked by that, I thought there would be some kind of grading system or skill level

tuxy · 19-05-2019 11:12PM

kurtainsider wrote: »

Tuxy
Could you expand on that a bit please?

Up until now it was very confusing that why family was trying to raise €750,000. It was unclear what the money was for but the gofundme page was leading people to believe that he could still be alive and the insurance company had abandoned him and that's why they needed so much money.
People who read the news would know that the experts were saying there was no chance he was alive. Comments asking them not to risk more lives retrieving a body were removed, the gofundme was heavily censored.

It was pointed out that the name the gofundme is under is not actually a family member. There is no way to verify who setup the page but that person now has access to €225,000 to do with as they please.

Bowlardo · 19-05-2019 11:14PM

tuxy wrote: »

Up until now it was very confusing that why family was trying to raise €750,000. It was unclear what the money was for but the gofundme page was leading people to believe that he could still be alive and the insurance company had abandoned him and that's why they needed so much money.
People who read the news would know that the experts were saying there was no chance he was alive. Comments asking them not to risk more lives retrieving a body were removed, the gofundme was heavily censored.

It was pointed out that the name the gofundme is under is not actually a family member. There is no way to verify who setup the page but that person now has access to €225,000 to do with as they please.

The go fund me page is dodgey? Has the family verified it yet?

tuxy · 19-05-2019 11:17PM

Bowlardo wrote: »

The go fund me page is dodgey? Has the family verified it yet?

The page was started under the name Olivia Waters, who is the name of someone that works in Trinity however there is no way of knowing if it is really them.

BowSideChamp · 19-05-2019 11:18PM

shamrock55 wrote: »

Wow I'm genuinely shocked by that, I thought there would be some kind of grading system or skill level

This is the crowd that Shay Lawless signed up with - https://www.sevensummittreks.com/trip/vvip-everest-expedition-service

Basically, you pay for some poor local Sherpas to carry you and all your gear up the mountain so you can take an Instagram photo.

kurtainsider · 19-05-2019 11:18PM

tuxy wrote: »

Up until now it was very confusing that why family was trying to raise €750,000. It was unclear what the money was for but the gofundme page was leading people to believe that he could still be alive and the insurance company had abandoned him and that's why they needed so much money.
People who read the news would know that the experts were saying there was no chance he was alive. Comments asking them not to risk more lives retrieving a body were removed, the gofundme was heavily censored.

It was pointed out that the name the gofundme is under is not actually a family member. There is no way to verify who setup the page but that person now has access to €225,000 to do with as they please.

Perhaps all money collected above and beyond what they want to spend will go directly to Barretstown?

Stark · 19-05-2019 11:19PM

BowSideChamp wrote: »

This is the crowd that Shay Lawless signed up with - https://www.sevensummittreks.com/trip/vvip-everest-expedition-service

Basically, you pay for some poor local Sherpas to carry you and all your gear up the mountain so you can take an Instagram photo.

If you want to experience what it feels like to be on the highest point on the planet and have strong economic background to compensate for your old age, weak physical condition or your fear of risks, you can sign up for the VVIP Mount Everest Expedition Service offered by Seven Summit Treks and Expeditions.

Yikes.

Jaster Rogue · 19-05-2019 11:20PM

Gofundme can freeze accounts temporarily if they are suspicious. Has anyone with more info on the owner contacted Gofundme yet?

Atoms for Peace · 19-05-2019 11:21PM

Quote a chilling qoute from a climber who nearly died attempting Everest:
He told BBC, “If you don’t have anyone who cares about you or is dependent on you, if you have no friends or colleagues, and if you’re willing to put a single round in the chamber of a revolver and put it in your mouth and pull the trigger, then yeah, it’s a pretty good idea to climb Everest.”

Hal3000 · 19-05-2019 11:30PM

Jaster Rogue wrote: »

Gofundme can freeze accounts temporarily if they are suspicious. Has anyone with more info on the owner contacted Gofundme yet?

If this so called rescue doesn't happen I'm sure serious questions will be asked.

Augme · 19-05-2019 11:31PM

Still waters wrote: »

Augme wrote: »

Big difference between carrauntoohil and Everest. Also, the fact he is missing is what is making this a much bigger story.

So it's more glamorous to die on Everest, good to know, little comfort to ger duffys family I'd imagine and no gofund page set up to support his family

Eh, why would a GoFundMe page be set to search for the ger Duffy? That would be fairly bizarre.

tuxy · 19-05-2019 11:32PM

Hal3000 wrote: »

If this so called rescue doesn't happen I'm sure serious questions will be asked.

Well it can't happen, at least not this year.
There is no accountability for where money goes to on gofundme, people can just withdraw the money no questions asked.

EricPraline · 19-05-2019 11:43PM

tuxy wrote: »

Well it can't happen, at least not this year.
There is no accountability for where money goes to on gofundme, people can just withdraw the money no questions asked.

Genuinely wondering, what has possessed you to go on such a crusade against this particularly fundraiser? If there's evidence of wrong-doing, you should really provide it immediately.

From what I can see, Olivia Waters is the Communications Manager at the ADAPT project in TCD, where Seamus works. That seems like a sensible person to organise something like this.

It's sad that some people here treat a tragic event as some kind of game and/or conspiracy theory.

Everest

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