Here is a report http://www.everestnews.com/Summitclimb2005/everesttibet2006disps05302006.htm) from everestnews.com about Lincoln Hall, who was rescued by Dan Mazur on Everest. The everestnews.com people were very distressed about initial false reports saying that Hall had died because nobody who saw him would stop to help him. Dan Mazur, using a satellite phone, had called in his report about rescuing Lincoln Hall. You can listen to his call on the everestnews.com site. The satellite phone had a very good quality audio, unlike my new cell phone.

Update 5/24/2006 (in America): We were able to reach Dan Mazur to ask him a few questions. This was a very brief call.

Here is what Dan told EverestNews.com: When they reached Lincoln Hall, Lincoln was sitting with his legs over the Face. He was half undressed and without a hat. Lincoln's first words were, "I imagine you are surprised to see me here."

His fingers were in bad shape and much of his equipment was gone. Dan said yesterday Lincoln still had a fever and we could tell Dan was still worried about him. Dan, Lincoln and apparently the other team members which were there (we don't know who all at this point) talked while they helped Lincoln. Dan said Lincoln seemed like a nice guy...

We briefly discussed with Dan the FALSE reports which were sent out by others. Dan seems to have no real knowledge of the false reports at this point which is not surprising since he has been busy... Dan did mention two Italians climbers went by them while they were helping Lincoln and that the Italians climbers went up and summited. Before people go speculating about these Italian guys, who knows what they knew and thought was going on when they saw Dan, Lincoln and the others...

Dan said people were taking their pictures and on the sat phones when they got to ABC... Let's hope those reports by others are better than the first ones filed... At this point, only Dan, Lincoln and the others who was there know what happened...

Update 5/24/2006 (in America): Dan Mazur called in and left the following dispatch... (click here to listen)

Editorial Comment: The FALSE reports about Dan and his team are now in the UPI News wires in America; which means they will probably in published in 100's to 1000's of newspapers; information that is FALSE.

Earlier: Dan called, "Hi this is Dan from Summitclimb, we are down from the mountain everyone is fine, everyone is safe. I am going to send a another dispatch when I get to another phone. The minutes are almost out on this phone. We did not summit. We found this guy at about 8600 meters. We gave up the summit."

The connection was very bad. But we got to briefly ask Dan about reports from a fellow named Duncan Chessell, who runs a small commercial company who has an Everest expedition this year, that has announced several items in the last 24 hours without a source. This guy has reported to the world and the media that after Dan stopped at Lincoln and helped him, that Dan with another member went to the summit. "Dan with one client continued to the summit . . . nice one sunshine! Seems like more mountaineering brotherhood classes are required." Duncan is quoted in the papers in Australia.

We asked Dan about this, he replied, " No we waited with him [Lincoln] until help arrived. ... got him on a stretcher and ... bought him [Lincoln] down. The connection kept breaking up... It was very difficult to talk with Dan....

We asked Dan did you all go for the Summit then? Dan answered, "No we went down." Dan seemed very very tired.

We asked Dan about news reports, he seemed not to have heard nothing at this point.