Hillary Walking Back To Base After Stroke

Press, Volume C, Issue 29510, 11 May 1961, Page 15

Hillary Walking Back To Base After Stroke

(N.Z.P. A.•Reuter —Copyright) KATMANDU, May 10. Sir Edmund Hillary, who had a mild stroke on Sunday, was today reported to be walking down from his expedition’s camp 21,000 feet up on Mount Makalu. According to reports received in Katmandu from his expedition in the Nepalese Himalayas, Sir Edmuhd Hillary suffered a “cerebral vascular accident” but his condition was described as not serious.

A radio message received by the Nepal Government did not say whether Sir Edmund Hillary was returning to Katmandu or staying somewhere in the Himalayan region to guide his team members still on Makalu. In the absence of definite information his decision to start walking down was believed to mean he was no longer an active member of the party. He was reported to be walking towards Mingbo in the Everest region.

It was not clear whether his mixed British-American-New Zealand expedition would now abandon its attempt to climb 27,790 ft Mount Makalu without oxygen. But. with Sir Edmund Hillary apparently out of the climb the expedition’s chances were considered to be seriously jeopardised The team was attempting Makalu at the end of a nine-month Himalayan ex-

pedition, which included an unsuccessful search for the “Abominable Snowman’’ and medical research work.

Lady Hillary received a cablegram from Sir Edmund Hillary today which indicated that he had a “black-

out”—probably due to attempting to acclimatise too quickly to high altitudes, says a Press Association message from Auckland. The journey back to the expedition’s 16.000 ft camp involves climbing over two difficult 20,000 ft passes. Lady Hillary said that she had not heard from her husband for a fortnight. He had not spoken of being unwell but he feared he would bave lost “acclimatisation” through having had to descend from 15.000 ft in March to go to Katmandu to attend to unexpected formalities concerning permission to climb.