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Norway’s record-breaking climber defends title after sherpa death

A Norwegian climber who recently became the fastest person to summit the world's 14 highest peaks has addressed controversy after critics accused her of walking over a dying sherpa to set her record.

Published: 12 August 2023 15:28 CEST
Kristin Harila
In this picture Norwegian climber Kristin Harila holds a flag during an interview with AFP at a hotel in Kathmandu. Photo by: Bikash KARKI / AFP

In a lengthy Instagram post on Thursday, Kristin Harila, 37, said she and her team “did everything we could for him at the time”.

Harila and her Nepali guide Tenjin “Lama” Sherpa became the fastest people to summit all 14 of the world’s 8,000-metre (26,000-feet) mountains on July 27th after reaching the top of K2 in Pakistan’s Himalayas.

READ ALSO: Record-breaking Norwegian mountaineer gets hero’s welcome in Nepal

They completed the feat in three months and one day, surpassing Nepal-born British adventurer Nirmal Purja’s 2019 record of six months and six days.

But controversy emerged on social media after drone footage shared by other climbers showed Harila’s team and others on a narrow, harrowing passage, stepping over the body of a fallen sherpa from another team, who later died during Harila’s ascent.

She was also criticised for celebrating her world record at base camp that evening.

“Nobody will remember your sporting success, only your inhumanity,” wrote one critic on Instagram.

“The blood of sherpas is on your hands,” said another.

Harila said she felt the need to give her side of the story due to “all of the misinformation and hatred that is now being spread”, including “death threats”. 

She said she, her cameraman and two others spent “1.5 hours in the bottleneck trying to pull him up”, referring to 27-year-old Mohammed Hassan.

She then continued her ascent following a distress call from the fixing team ahead, leaving others behind with Hassan.

‘Heartbreaking’

Her cameraman, identified only as Gabriel, was among those who stayed with Hassan, sharing his oxygen and hot water with him “while other people were passing by”.

“Considering the amount of people that stayed behind and had turned around, I believed Hassan would be getting all the help he could, and that he would be able to get down.”

Gabriel left after another hour when he needed “to get more oxygen for his own safety”, she wrote.

When he caught up with Harila, “we understood that he (Hassan) might not make it down.”

“It was heartbreaking.”

On their descent, they discovered that Hassan had passed away.

Her team of four “was in no shape to carry his body down” safely, noting it would have required at least six people.

His death was “truly tragic… and I feel very strongly for the family”, she said, but “we had done our best, especially Gabriel”.

She noted that Hassan was “not properly equipped for the climb”, wearing neither a down suit nor gloves.

Numerous Instagram users defended Harila’s actions and noted the dangers involved, while others questioned why his operator had not equipped him better, with one cynically remarking that “local life is cheap”.

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The key info you need to know about fishing in Norway

Norway is widely considered one of the best fly-fishing locations in the world. Whether you've planned a trip or always wanted to give fishing a go, you'll need to get up to speed with the rules.

Published: 7 June 2024 13:22 CEST
The key info you need to know about fishing in Norway

Fishing has traditionally been a cornerstone of the Norwegian economy, and the country’s seafood is considered some of the best in the world.

The country still has a large fishing industry, but recreational angling probably attracts the most interest these days.

This is because the country is considered one of the best destinations in the world to cast a line due to its clear and bountiful freshwater lakes and rivers.

Whether you’re located in Oslo or above the Arctic Circle, you are likely to be near a good spot, too.

The rules for fishing are typically divided into two categories: freshwater and saltwater.

Saltwater fishing

You don’t need a permit to fish, and you can fish from land when you aren’t in built-up areas. You can also cast a line from a jetty in other areas.

Anglers can only use handheld tackle, and it is illegal to catch species that require gear other than handheld tackle. There are also minimum size requirements to catch certain species.

There are also regulations on the minimum size of the fish you catch, boat drivers must have a boating licence, and life jackets must be worn in the vessel.

When fishing, you must be at least 100 metres from the nearest fish farm. It is also illegal to sell your catch, but you can give it away.

Only tourists with a registered camp or guide can take their fish products out of the country, with weight limits also in place.

Furthermore, spiny dogfish, basking shark, porbeagle, blue ling, lobster, bluefin tuna, silk shark, eel, and wrasse are protected species and cannot be caught. You cannot catch cod in the Oslofjord, either.

Some species, such as redfish, cod, halibut, and Greenland halibut, are also protected during the year. Halibut above 2 metres long must also be released.

More information on the regulations can be found on the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries website.

Freshwater fishing

Those who want to fish freshwater in Norway will typically need to purchase a licence from the local rights holder. Local sports shops and tourist offices will have more information on where to purchase the fishing licence.

There will also be local fishing rules and a fishing season for fish like salmon (typically between June and August).

When fishing for migratory fish, like salmon, you can only use worms, lures, spinners, wobblers and flies as bait. There are also restrictions on hook sizes, or single hooks, the maximum gape size is 15 mm, and for double/treble hooks, it is 13 mm.

There is a national fishing fee of 329 kroner for salmon, Arctic char and other fish that migrate upstream that can be purchased online. This is paid in addition to any local fishing licence fees.

Catch and release?

In almost all cases, you can keep your fish and eat it if you want. This is due to the Norwegian right to roam and forage.

However, local restrictions may mean there are certain types of fish you need to release, furthermore prohibited species and those not meeting the minimum size requirements must also be released.

The exception to this rule is if it is clear that the fish will not survive in the wild.

Catch and release is a growing trend in Norway and is something you can choose to do, too, if you wish.

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