By Frank Urquhart for Scotsman.comA Scottish climber has described how he is "lucky to be alive" after an attempt to scale the highest mountain in the Americas claimed the life of a fellow mountaineer.
Andrew Hay, a 27-year-old oil worker from Aberdeen, was left hospitalised with frostbite after he conquered the summit of Aconcagua, a 22,841 ft peak in the Andes mountain range.
But he watched helplessly as a fellow climber, Bob Huggins, a 64-year-old Australian, died of a cerebral oedema - a severe form of altitude sickness, as they waited for rescue to arrive.
The climber said: "I am very lucky to be alive. It was a horrific experience and one I never want to go through again."
Mr Hay, who is due to be reunited with his parents, Bob and Pamela, today, described his nightmare ordeal as he recovered from his frostbite injuries in a hospital in the Argentinian city of Mendoza.
He had flown out to Argentina on 28 January to join an international party of climbers trying to reach the summit of Mount Aconcagua, on a trip organised by English-based firm Adventure Peaks.
He explained that he had been left fighting for survival after the climbing party was hit by strong winds, driving snow and temperatures plunging to -40C on the treacherous climb as Mr Hay and four others battled on to reach the summit. Conditions, however, deteriorated when..Read full article
