American Only Survivor As 8 Vanish on Everest

KATMANDU, Nepal An American climber believed to have died in afierce blizzard on Mt. Everest descended to a 20,000-foot pass today,where a helicopter swooped him up and carried him to safety.

A fading radio transmission carried a sadder message to anotherclimber's pregnant wife: A friend said today that a New Zealandclimber, crippled with frostbite but able to operate his radio, had afinal conversation with his wife before perishing alone near themountain's peak.

The New Zealander, Rob Hall, was one of eight climbers whoremained missing and were presumed killed by the harsh conditions onthe famed 29,028-foot mountain. Everest has claimed more than 100people since it was first conquered 43 years ago.

Thirty mountaineers were on Everest when the storm hit Friday,bringing temperatures of 40 below zero and whipping winds.Twenty-two climbers were treated on the mountain for frostbite andother injuries and were continuing their descent, said Jeff Herr ofOutside Online, a magazine published on the Internet that hasmonitored one of the trapped expeditions.

One of the survivors was Seaborne B. Weathers, 49, of Dallas,who was rescued today by a Nepalese army helicopter chartered by theU.S. Embassy.

"I am OK, I'm better now," Weathers said after he was flown tothe Nepalese capital, Katmandu.

Weathers, who was part of a Swedish expedition, suffered facialburns from high winds and severe frostbite on both hands.

In Christchurch, New Zealand, Geoff Gabites, chief executive ofthe Adventure Tourism Council, said it was the highest helicopterrescue on record.

The missing climbers were presumed to be above 28,000 feet, "andit's just not possible to have a helicopter operating at that area,"he said. At that altitude, the atmosphere is too thin for helicopterrotors to function.

It was the fifth time Hall had reached the top of Everest - moreascents than any other Western climber. But the exhilaration of afifth successful ascent soon turned into a nightmare.

Hall spoke to his wife, Jan Arnold, at home in Christchurchbefore Everest claimed his life on Saturday night, Gabites said.

He said he did not know his friend's last words: "It was apersonal conversation between him and Jan." But he said he was sureHall could not have survived another night in the open, withoutoxygen, fluids or protection from the slashing winds.