Today in History: Hillary and Norgay became the first climbers to summit Everest
Sixty-five years ago, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers to reach the summit of Mt Everest.
On 29 May, 1953, New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, a Nepalese Sherpa, became the first climbers to reach the summit of Mount Everest, which, at 8 849m above sea level, is the highest point on earth.
Before their success in ’53, a Swiss expedition navigated the treacherous Khumbu Icefall in the first real summit attempt in 1952.
Two climbers, Raymond Lambert and Tenzing Norgay, reached 8 598m, just below the South Summit, but had to turn back due to a lack of supplies.
Shocked by the near-success of the Swiss expedition, the British organised a large expedition for 1953, under the command of Colonel John Hunt.
In addition to the best British climbers and Norgay, who had narrowly fallen short of the summit the previous year, the expedition enlisted talent from the British Commonwealth, including the New Zealanders, George Lowe and Edmund Hillary.
Members of the expedition were equipped with specially insulated boots and clothing, portable radio equipment, and open- and closed-circuit oxygen systems.
Setting up a series of camps, the expedition pushed its way up the mountain in April and May 1953.
A new passage was forged through the Khumbu Icefall, and the climbers made their way up the Western Cwm, across the Lhotse Face, to the South Col, at about 7 924m.
On 26 May, Charles Evans and Tom Bourdillon launched the first assault, and came within 91m of the summit before having to turn back because one of their oxygen sets was malfunctioning.
Two days later, Tenzing and Hillary set out, setting up high camp at 8 503m.
After a freezing, sleepless night, the pair plodded on the next day, reaching the South Summit by 9am and a steep rocky step, some 12m high, about an hour later.
Wedging himself in a crack in the face, Hillary inched himself up what was thereafter known as the Hillary Step.
Hillary threw down a rope, and Norgay followed.
At about 11.30am, the climbers arrived at the top of the world.
News of the success was rushed by runner from the expedition’s base camp to the radio post at Namche Bazar, and then sent by coded message to London, where Queen Elizabeth II learned of the achievement on June 1, the eve of her coronation.
Later that year, Hillary and Hunt were knighted by the Queen. Norgay, because he was not a citizen of a Commonwealth nation, received the British Empire Medal.
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