Beijing hiker abducted on Mt Qomolangma

A Beijing hiker alleged on Sina Weibo he was "kidnapped" by people from a hiking company while climbing Mount Qomolangma in the Tibet Autonomous Region on Monday. Sports authorities Thursday denied the claim.

Wang Tianhan, a former monk and hiker known for having reached the summit in May, 2002, alleged on his microblog that he had been kidnapped by people from a hiking company in Tibet, and he appealed for rescue. He posted pictures of himself tied up with ropes.

"While they stayed in their tent breathing oxygen, I was left out in the wind," said Wang, who ascended to an altitude of 7,800 meters. The major reason for this "kidnap" is "commercial conflict," he said.

The hiking company he accused, Himalaya Expedition, published a statement on their website Thursday, saying they sent people to bring Wang down because he climbed to a high altitude of 7,790 meters without permission from the General Administration of Sport or the China Tibet Mountaineering Association under the Tibet Sports Bureau. Mount Qomolangma is 8,844 meters high. The area above 8,000 meters on the mountain is known as the death zone.

"Wang was not equipped with oxygen and warm enough clothing, which could lead to extreme danger to life under those conditions," the company said in the statement.

Zhaxi Jiangcuo, the association's deputy director, said there was no kidnapping.

"Wang applied to hike to an altitude of 6,500 meters but he went beyond that height illegally," he said. Normally a climb to places higher than 6,500 meters requires human assistance which must be paid for, and Wang went without notifying authorities, he told the Global Times.

Wang could not be reached for comment Thursday, and his friend in Beijing, Zhang Hongjiang, said he contacted Wang and his equipment and cellphone is being kept by the authorities.

"I can't be sure of the online allegations that Wang was behaving badly and attacked the people who tried to bring him down," Zhang said. Wang has returned to Base Camp at Qomolangma, and it will take him several days to return to Beijing, Zhang said.

"Wang was trying to take photos. The company took him because he didn't pay the hiking fee which is 200,000 to 300,000 yuan ($31,560-47,340) per person," Zhang noted.