brother is missing

[Plumm]

My brother Julian Wynne, English, 32 has not made contact with any one and we are worried. He climbed the Gokyo Ri area, and safely decended, this was around the 21st December. He had then planned to go to EBC. We (his family) do not know if he was on his own or had met up with other trekers. Julian has now not made any contact for almost 4 weeks.
What I am wanting to know is are the weather conditions dangerous at this time? how safe would the route be? I know accidents are always possible, but generally speaking. I'm afraid I don't know the names of the areas on the way to EBC or the trail he would have taken, can any one shed any light on this? is 4 weeks too long to still be treking, or do many people trek for many more weeks in this area. Would the trek to EBC be frequented this time of year by many? if he had been ill or injured on the trail would he have been found by other trekers?
The Embassy has been alerted, statements have been made to interpol. I would like to ask experienced trekers in this area, should we be acting to get the helicopter out at this stage?
If anyone has recently returned from EBC did you see or meet up with Julian?
Thanks
Rachael

[Escher]

As far as I have heard there has not been any bad weather recently in the Khumbu (Everest region), when I say bad weather I mean substantial amounts of snow. There can be big dumps of snow at any time of year and normally we hear about it as it makes trekking difficult when it happens.

There are two ways (three really but one he is not very likely to have taken - so we'll discount for now) to Gokyo. First (and most likely) is the normal route. I suspect he went this way as he was talking about going to EBC next (the second route is to come from the EBC valley to Gokyo). He would have walked from and through Namche, Mong, Phortse Tenga, Dole, Machhermo, Gokyo. Afterwards if you want to go to EBC you can go back the way you came and then head up the EBC valley or cross the Cho La. The Cho La is a high pass (5350m) that is regularly crossed by trekkers. During winter though it can be treacherous and icy and may require crampons to negotiate. However it is crossed by people without crampons quite regularly, and most people have no problem with it. But like any high pass - conditions, experience, ability with altitude all play a part. It is not wise to cross a high pass without company. I would be very surprised if he attempted the pass on his own.

There are a couple of sections on the trail to Gokyo where it can be icy and treacherous and more so in winter. The vast majority of people going that way have no issues other than having to go very gingerly along those specific sections (they are 10-20 yards long with ice on the trail but a steep drop to one side - to put it in perspective) . However there have been accidents, although they are very rare, along this section.

There are many fewer trekkers trekking during winter than during the main trekking seasons (Oct-Nov/Mar/Apr/May), numbers can be very small (you might meet 10-20 others going the same way - sometimes less) and there are no big organised tours going through the area. Most people do hook up with other trekkers though, it is unusual to go alone and it is possible, even in December to find others to trek with. Either beforehand or during the trek. At least 3 people who post here have recently been in that area. Oli, Landfall and RRainey. On the whole if you are are ill or injured along the trail someone will find you. There are many lodges and people (locals as well as trekkers) walking the trails. But, there are places where, if you were to slip, you may slip away from the trail and not be seen. This becomes a problem if you are not trekking with someone as you will not be noticed as missing.

It is unusual for someone to keep trekking that long, to be honest, in the same area. Some may do that but not many. There are internet cafes and phones in the Everest region so it is possible to keep in touch even if you are still trekking.

It would be useful to know Julian's experience trekking and in the mountains. It might help us to assess what he may have taken on and how comfortable he sould be with winter conditions and solo travel.

In some places some lodges have a book that you sign in to. There was a campaign a few years ago and certainly in 2005 (the last time I was in the Khumbu) there were visitors books at nearly all lodges. So it should be possible (with access to the books) to track his movements. This information may not be 100% though and not all lodges may be collecting it.

My guess at advice would be to talk to a reputable agency/guide and see whether you can employ someone to go to the Khumbu and trek the Gokyo route and to try and gather information on the route he took. Perhaps a lodge owner in Gokyo will remember him and will know what route he was intending to take after Gokyo. That may narrow the search down a bit. I don't use a guide personally but many of the people here do and will be able to recommend someone you can speak to who can help you out.

Good luck and fingers crossed for Julians safe return.

[yakshaver]

Rachel, if it is ok, I will give these details to Santaman, my guide, to see if he or one of his guides or porter-guides has been in the area during that time. See if he can find out anything.

Could you post a picture of Julian?

[Plumm]

Thankyou for your advice and information. This was Julian's first treking trip, he did begin treking with a friend but they parted company (22nd Dec) after descending Gokyo Ri. Julian was possibly sighted with two Australian guys on the 22nd December. We have been in contact with his friend who has now returned to Kathmandu and he is also concerned for Julian's safety. We know that Julian has not signed out of the National Park. If any one can recommend a guide or suggest how i might contact one it would be appreciated.
Thanks Rachael

[Landfall38]

I believe OLI was in the Khumbu at this time! Oli?

We flew out of Tumlingtar on Dec 22nd 2008 -- the first truly cloudy day in over 2 weeks -- on that flight we noted that there had been new snow higher up in the mountains (likely not a lot, possibly only a dusting).

As Escher notes, there are a couple icy/slippery sections (in Dec) on the main trail below Gokyo (one, just below 1st lake, gave us trouble in Dec 2005) -- however, any fall here did not look like it would be a "major" fall (although it would be unpleasant and some injury could occur) and certainly anyone doing so would likely remain in full view of others coming by on the trail.

On the other hand, a concern is that he went over Cho La alone.

Anyone go over Cho La Dec 22 or later?

[RRainey]

Hi, I have a good memory for faces and I do not recall seeing your brother. I was in the Khumbu during that period.

[Oli]

Julian and Lee (his trekking companion) were staying in the Namaste Lodge in Gokyo when I arrived. I didn't really have a conversation with either of them and they left the next day. I met Lee a few days later in Namche and he told me then that Julian was missing.

They had set out to cross Cho La together on (I think) the 22nd. Apparently they had some differing ideas on the path to take up the pass and had decided to go their separate ways. Lee told me that he had looked back and seen Julian sitting on a rock by the path, then later seen 2+1 people walking away from the pass and had (not unreasonably) assumed that his friend was now in the company of a pair of trekkers they'd seen descending from the pass earlier. Lee continued over the pass and returned to Namche expecting to meet up with Julian there a few days hence. Unfortunately that was the last time that anyone has seen or heard of Julian.

Lee waited in Namche for several days. Julian had left camera & ipod cables at the lodge in Namche but did not collect them. Lee had been waiting by the trail coming into Namche and quizzed most of the trekkers coming down as to whether they had seen Julian. Some messages were sent up the trail to the villages & lodges that he might have passed through, but to no avail.

Weather conditions at the time were quite good, there was no snow in the Gokyo valley whilst we were there, just a very light dusting of snow in Namche on the 25th, but it was getting colder and late in the season. I believe that the lodges on either side of Cho La were about to close for the winter, a few days later there might be no lodges between Gokyo/Machermo and Lobuche/Pheriche and few (if any) people crossing the pass. There were far few trekkers around than in peak season, but there were still a fair number walking the trails.

I don't think that Julian crossed Cho La, he didn't go back to Gokyo and I didn't see any sign of him one the way to Namche. Perhaps he might have gone down the east side of the Gokyo valley to Phortse, a few other people were using that trail. If he had an accident on the trail he likely would have been found fairly soon, but had he been away off the trail then he would be lost for some time.

I saw Lee again once or twice in Kathmandu in the first week of January and he told me there was still no sign of Julian, he had been in contact with Julian's mum & Racheal but they had not heard from him. By this time Julian's cash would be running out and the prospect was not looking good. There really wasn't anything that I could suggest that Lee wasn't doing already (notifying the trial checkpoints & embassy etc).

Sorry for my delay in posting here, I should have mentioned this before Plumm had to, but this is rather a mystery to me also. He really should have reappeared by now, but already it is far too late if he has met with misadventure. My guide told me that a trekker had once been "missing" and months later turned up in a Gompa having become a monk, but I doubt that is what happened here. I can't help but think of the Gareth Koch saga (http://www.garethkochlostinnepal.co.uk/), and of the fate of Kristina Kovacevic, or "Christoper" (see post #4 etc here (http://www.trekinfo.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1809)). I do not know what might have happened to Julian, and rather fear for his welfare. I really wish I could offer positive advice, but sadly I cannot.

Edit: I'll try harder to offer advice....
If you want to arrange a search of the area then you'll probably need the assistance of the Namche Youth Group, start looking in the Gokyo valley. The British Embassy in Kathmandu really ought to be able to help with advice and liaison in Nepal. The Koch family might help in some way. I expect that Julian had an "independent" class of TIMS permit so I doubt that TAAN will be of any assistance.

[trek]

I just Back yesterday from the EBC trek I had 2 Japanese client with me, our target was to cross chila but because of so dangers ice we did gokyo via phorche village, at Janaury 7 I show looks same like in the this picture, one men cross us on the way before dole, we was ascending to dole because of difficult climbing up we didn’t really talk, just I said him Namaste, and he was replied me same. I think that make could be Julian's,

I am trekking guide, some of my friend still guiding on the Gokyo valley, hope they will bring more good news, actually don't have to worry, because there are no any bad news till now on the EBC right now, may be he enjoying his own pace,

Himal Ghale

[Himalaya Rescue Dog Squad]

:confused:

Hi there PLUMM & OLI,

please contact us by e-mail a.s.a.p. and we can communicate directly. We need to co-ordinate some data and exchange views! Just send to us your e-mail with your last comments again to our inbox and we will discuss it.

Regards
Ingo Schnabel, Managing Director
&
Govinda Ale, Chairman
HRDSN

[Plumm]

Would anyone be able to provide me with an email address for the Namche Youth Group?
Thanks, Rachael

[Escher]

Would anyone be able to provide me with an email address for the Namche Youth Group?
Thanks, Rachael

You could try angtenzing@namcheyouthgroup.org that I found here (http://www.sherpakyidug.org/forums/Messages.asp?idThread=2148).

[Boulia]

My agency has told me TAAN has sent information including Photo to agents seeking their help but I think this has only gone out in the last day or so.

[Sophie]

I am Julians other sister. Thank you for everyone's replies so far. If anyone has any other ideas on how we can help to search for Julian we would be most grateful, we feel very helpless, not being there to help search for him.

[andrees]

i added a few photos of Julian Wynne on the website
http://www.nepal-dia.de/int__England/EV_missing_persons_in_the_Hima/ev_missing_persons_in_the_hima.html

[yakshaver]

i added a few photos of Julian Wynne on the website
http://www.nepal-dia.de/int__England/EV_missing_persons_in_the_Hima/ev_missing_persons_in_the_hima.html


Thank you Andrees, good initiative.

I have sent this link to my contacts in Nepal. It summarises the situation and gives the necessary context, I believe.

[hipie veg]

Hi
- Ive crossed d cho la on d 25th dec from gokyo to louboche.. n i can say for sure i didnt c any other lone trekkers crossing d cho la on this day.
- there was only one lodge operating each @ Tagnag (24th dec) n @ Dzongla(25th dec).
- i didnt c any other lone trekkers @ tagnag n @ Dzongla.
- there was heavy snow on 25thdec on the cho la.. so definitely, me n the other travelling companions (a swiss, german n a slovakian) were the only one crossing that day(25th dec).
- Hope yr brother is safe n sound.
- will send an email out to the other trekkers whom ive met on this trail around this date n hopefully there will b some good news.

Regards

[Sophie]

Thank you for your help. We are still no closer to finding him as yet and are making arrangements to get a family member out to Nepal asap. Does anyone know how we can get in contact with the lodges at Tagnag and Dzongla to see if Julian had stayed at these lodges at all?

Thanks, Sophie

[daveinjakarta]

Hi,
I have sent an email to the youth group and if I get some response I will pass the email address on to you. At the very least they can keep an eye on his stuff in lodge in case he has returned. Perhaps they have heard something also....
Hope to get some thing back soon...

I guess the Trekker Intention Books we distributed a few years ago are no longer in view...??

Time we went back and delivered them out again...

Rgds,
Dave

[daveinjakarta]

To Oli,
Where is Lee now?
Still in Katmandu or has he returned to UK?

Was he sure the 2 people he saw with a third other trekkers?

Did you read of the story back around the time Gareth went missing about a lone trekker that ran into trouble just out of Dragnag...??
It was posted on one of the forums..I think it was an American and he lived to tell the tale..

never give up!

rgds,
Dave

[Oli]

Lee is probably heading south through India, I believe that he has been in contact with Julian's family. I expect that he will have given as much details as he has in statements already, perhaps some of that may be worth sharing in this public forum. I really don't know about the surety of "the other two trekkers", Lee didn't really offer much detail other than they were descending (ie passing in the opposite direction) and he might not have met them close up.

There are Trekker Intention Books out in some of the lodges, I signed a few and recognised a couple of names from this forum. I think I may have signed one in Machermo on 24th and didn't notice a fellow Brit from the previous days, but I'm really not sure.

Yes, I did recall that drama in Dragnag from a few years ago - I linked to the thread in my earlier post.

I have emailed as many people as I who were in the area to ask them to read this thread and spread the word.

Robert, what day did you cross Cho La & which direction? At Gokyo did you stay in Namaste or at the Resort?

I think that Julian was wearing a pale blue North Face fleece or softshell jacket when I saw him in the lodge, but I dont know what clothes he wore on the trail.

I am wondering if there is a way between Dragnag and the Phortse trail without crossing the glacier? Considering that Julian had come up the main valley trail and had decided to cancel crossing Cho La, would he have considered a shortcut to the alternative route? On the other hand the fact that he chose to not risk the pass suggests he would tend toward safety rather than going off on his own. :confused:

[andrees]

I am wondering if there is a way between Dragnag and the Phortse trail without crossing the glacier? Considering that Julian had come up the main valley trail and had decided to cancel crossing Cho La, would he have considered a shortcut to the alternative route? On the other hand the fact that he chose to not risk the pass suggests he would tend toward safety rather than going off on his own. :confused:

You can go directly from Dragnag to the little village of Na La and then continue on the east side of the Gokyo valley to Phortse and then by Pangboche-Periche to EBC. I would have chosen this trail if I would stopped crossing Cho la but still wanted to go to EBC.
This trek is very remote.

Andrées

[Per]

Thank you for your help. We are still no closer to finding him as yet and are making arrangements to get a family member out to Nepal asap. Does anyone know how we can get in contact with the lodges at Tagnag and Dzongla to see if Julian had stayed at these lodges at all?

If you are going out there you might do best to go up there your self and talk directly with the lodge owners. People will be utterly helpful.

As for the route from Dragnag to the main valley via Phortse to Pangboche it should be a one day hike. It is commonly used by people who want to go both to EBC and Gokyo without crossing Cho La. You will find a description of it on http://www.yetizone.com/Everest/Trek/Everest_Trek_Day18.shtml

[RRainey]

Robert, what day did you cross Cho La & which direction? At Gokyo did you stay in Namaste or at the Resort?



I crossed from Lobouche to Zongla the lodges at dragnak were closed so we went all the way to Gokyo. It was december 27th and we were the only ones crossing in either direction. We stayed at the gokyo resort for 3 nights.

[Lars]

A few years ago a young English guy went missing between Jiri and Namche.
I was trekking in that area at the time.

I kept thinking that I really wished his family had made available on the net a
poster, normal paper size. With a recent picture, preferably in black and
white, and all relevant info on where he had last been seen etc. If there had
been such a document I could easily have printed out several dozen and
spread them in the lodges and restaurants along the trail. They can be on
the walls there within days if well prepared and linked to from this forum.

I understand it it is not obvious for family members to come to this forum
for help. But if they do they will have come to right place.

Apart from that I also want to remind of the book "Lost in the Himalayas".
It is not a good book as such, I did not like it at all. But, the true story is of
a young Australian man who gets lost on a trek and is found alive 43 days
later. Only through the relentless perseverance of his sister was he saved!

The Nepali government and their "specialists" had given up all hope, the
Australian embassy likewise. But his sister went there, pleaded, threatened
and organized yet one more search party and eventually found him.

1. Don't give up!
2. Someone must go out there and go to all lodges etc with pictures.

Lars
Lampang

[Kamzang Kim]

General Post:

Rachael's husband Greg is now in Kathmandu, is going to contact my partner Lhakpa Dorji, who is from the Everest region and has all the contact numbers for the lodges up there.We contacted most of them looking for Rob R, who crossed the Cho La on the 27th and arrived in the dark! We were in Gokyo with a group then.

Lhakpa and his wife's families own many of the lodges in the Khumbu, so they will be best able to find out if there is any information that we haven't heard of Julian.

I run a trekking company with two others - one of them is Jamie McGuinness who wrote Trekking in the Everest Region (Trailblazers). We are based in Kathmandu and called Project Himalaya. I am now in the States for a few weeks, Joel is trekking in India and Jamie is in Patagonia, so none of us are available to look for Julian. Lhakpa is the next best thing (or better), though.

The trail from Na to Phortse is very straightforward, takes one day and is in good condition. The lodge half way down the trail is open all year. If Julian took this trail he should have had no problem, and would have run into people on the way. It is used very often by locals ...

Let me know how I can help!

Kim

[mieke]

@ Rachael, Marc & Sophie, and others close to Julian,

I feel truly sorry for you guys and the situation you find yourselves in at present. Julian, unfortunately, isn’t the first foreign trekker to disappear in (Solu)khumbu, and as you must have noticed several regulars of this board therefore gained some experience with this type of situations.

I have a few questions. Some of them imo deserve a reply here in the thread to clarify matters to other people, but others don’t for it seems that at this stage they relate to the kind of private information you share with the police and with your Consular staff only.

We have to assume that Julian was meanwhile officially reported missing in the U.K., his home country. You have stated that both Interpol as well as the Embassy in Ktm have been notified earlier this month, yet nowhere in the online media is there any newsarticle on your brother yet. That is unusual, both as far as the BBC is concerned, as well as a number of Nepali (online, English language) newspapers. On the Nepalboard (Germany) poster Manfred (http://www.nepalboard.de/nepal/fua/35629.html) supplied some contactdetails last Friday already; he was personally (heavily) involved in two previous, comparable searches in Nepal in the past 3 years. Others too gave you media-links. Myself I mailed you the links to contact some 6 relevant online Nepali papers two days ago. I keep checking, but there is nothing in their news yet. So please, what’s going on? Who is coordinating the information to the media at your end?

From a fellow poster I learned (by email) that Rachael’s husband and Julian’s original trekkingpartner Lee as well, would be in Kathmandu by now. Did your Embassy already arrange for an official pressconference there, as is usual under these circumstances? When is a pressconference to take place? Not for us here on the web (we already know), but ultimately for Nepali citizens to learn about this disappearance, and ask for their help?

What I would also like to know, is whether Lee – when they parted – continued up Chola La in the company of one or more other trekkers or a Nepali mountainguide, or completely on his own. And how well is his eyesight, or did he use binoculars when he looked back down and thought he saw his friend leaving the area in the company of two Aussies or New Zealanders? And just why would they have been from Oz or from New Zealand?

The HRDSN (earlier on in this thread) offered their professional assistance. They have trained mountain rescue dogs (already adapted to high altitudes), and experience. If an advance sum (money) is a problem here, what’s the situation with Julian’s travelinsurance? And does it include a helicopter bond (which could perhaps make it more appropriate/valuable considering the circumstances)?
Also, I seem to recall that in the aftermath of Gareth Koch’s disappearance and his parents’ subsequent troubles/dealings with their government (the U.K.), the Foreign Office in London would appoint a specially trained and skilled Liaison Officer for difficult situations when a Brit goes missing on the other side of the planet. Are the relatives in contact with this Officer at the FO? And in the event Julian’s travelinsurance doesn’t exist or is insufficient for the present demands, could this special Liaison Officer offer any solutions?

Lars here asked for a short and simple but clear missing person poster, size A4, to become available online for downloading & printing a.s.a.p. He is só right, you know! A poster with the best resembling photo. And keep it simple but do supply relevant details re. description of Julian’s appearance, dates, times, places (itinerary), description of his clothes, his backpack, did he have trekkingpoles with him yes or no, his footwear, and the fact he never came back to pick up stuff in Namche nor signed out of Sagarmatha National Park (Monjo). That kind of details. And an emailaddress as much as a telephonenumber (in Nepal!) for people to respond.
So why don’t you set up a temporary webpage in the search for Julian, where people can find compact information + print out missing person posters? Chances are it wouldn’t take long before you have a Nepali textversion as well. Your Embassy could fix that (a translation into Newari), or otherwise one or two volunteers on the web might do it for you; happened in the past as well.

Please have a look at my email again and supply clear descriptions of
- Julian’s appearance: height, build, hair, haircut, eyes, down jacket, backpack (size, colour, brand)
- and describe the best you (Lee) can the footwear he brought along!, and their intended itinerary for the days after Dec. 22nd!

Reminder: ask your Consul to get in touch a.s.a.p. with the radiostation that broadcasts all over the Khumbu and the Solokhumbu! And get them to broadcast appeals the forthcoming days. Imo radio appeals should clearly mention a reliable telephone number that locals could call in case they want to report something.

In addition, it seems there are some lodges in the Khumbu too that have a TV-set, although some of them may (will) be closed at present (winter). Is it worth checking out what company is in charge of the TV broadcasts, so a televised appeal (with photos) for help & info could be aired a couple of times?

Question to the board: is Sherpa a written language, and could missing person posters in Sherpa then be of use in the Khumbu? Or is radio a better idea to reach more locals (also in view of illiteracy perhaps)?

Furthermore on practical matters (also for those unfamiliar with Nepal, who happen to read this thread):
Try to stick to one central emailaddress for anyone to send you information in this search; 2 emailaddresses at max. And once your search is being published in the media, incl. email contact-addresses, make sure they’re being monitored 24/7!
The Gareth Koch-website ( www.garethkochlostinnepal.co.uk ) has a large and detailed online map of (the trekkingroutes in) the Khumbu north of Lukla; this might be of interest to those who’ve never been there, just to get an impression.
Distances in Sagarmatha National Park are not measured up in miles/kilometers, but in the time it takes on foot to get from A to B, for that's the only overland transport.
Loadshedding in Nepal: up to 16 hours a day at present! Whether or not that applies to the Khumbu as well, I don’t know.
In addition, Nepal is ± 5:30 hours ahead of GMT which gives you a fairly limited time-span to communicate directly via internet with your searchparty presently in Nepal. The relatives imo should keep that in mind, and rise early! Or agree on shifts among you in the UK, and who’ll stay online to monitor and handle communications.

Finally, I noticed the criticism on Facebook ( http://nl-nl.facebook.com/wall.php?id=44494057709), after Ed posted a rather realistic comment there yesterday. I know it's painful, but just so you’ll know: during a search 2½ years ago, a real brawl broke out among some of the Sherpas in Namche Bazaar. And it became clear that some lodge owners felt intimidated by others of their community, and cooperation with the Euros who came searching for a relative had to be done in very discrete ways. A Nepali woman who had joined the searchparty mainly as their translator, was kept in custody in an Army jail in Namche for a few days during the actual search for her own safety.


And @ Sophie (“Facebook’, Jan. 20)

It's Julian's birthday now in Nepal so hopefully he'll try and get in contact with Lee today to meet up for a birthday drink, fingers crossed, happy birthday juw xxx


Grow up. Please: who do you figure matters more to him: the friend who deliberately left him all alone on his first ever trek in the Himalayas just below Chola La in December, or his immediate relatives and people who love him?

I think it’s important the family, just among itself, has a clear answer to that question! (But you don’t need to tell this board). If you’d like me to congratulate you here on Julian’s birthday: I won’t. Not now. For he may still be alive someplace and in fact doing well – yes. But he may also still be alive out there ( some 30 days after he was last heard from, and in the freezing cold ), fighting death all the time. I see no reason to celebrate and have birthday-drinks untill you have a definite answer on what happened, and where he is now.

[Plumm]

Thanks Lars, and everyone who has kindly offered help and advice. Only problem is that I dont posess good office skills and don't know how to get the poster in a word doc on to trekinfo.com can anyone help?

[QUOTE=Lars]A few years ago a young English guy went missing between Jiri and Namche.
I was trekking in that area at the time.

I kept thinking that I really wished his family had made available on the net a
poster, normal paper size. With a recent picture, preferably in black and
white, and all relevant info on where he had last been seen etc. If there had
been such a document I could easily have printed out several dozen and
spread them in the lodges and restaurants along the trail. They can be on
the walls there within days if well prepared and linked to from this forum.

Rachael, (Julians sister)

[mieke]

Good suggestion and thanks for you help Lars and everyone who has kindly offerered advice and information. I do have a poster in a word doc, but I don't know how to get it onto trekinfo.com can anyone help here? I'm afraid that I don't posess good office skills.
Rachael (Julian's sister)

Hi Rachael,
Wasn't aware yet of your post while I typed mine.

For the moment, just copy the text + a link to the photo you chose onto this thread. And I'm sure technically there'll be a solution soon how fellow trekkers as much as Nepalis (Nepali trekkingagents and -guides) who are following this thread, will be able to download it into a proper A-4 size (handiest format) document they can print out.

[mieke]

@ Dave (Jakarta)

You and Donald Bason have done your best back in 2004/2005 in order to develop and manufacture the Trekker Intention Books (for all of the Khumbu-lodges). For those unfamiliar with the TIB, see in this BBC link (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/oxfordshire/4615124.stm), and Dave’s explanation here: Lost in the Himalayas (http://91dd018.spaces.live.com/Blog/cns!1peDCeCHanHwXGjQN1B34H6A!219.entry) (2005).

David (Koch) wrote you the book’s foreword, but the two of you initiated the project and lateron distributed the books yourselves. The already existing mealorderbooks but even more so the TIBs, really served a purpose when lateron occasionally another foreign trekker disappeared (either for a short time, or in the longer run).

Could you please ask your contacts at the NYG when their new, updated website will be up and running? And whether or not they’ll put back the Missing Trekker-section and especially its several pages about the TIB? Because they are unavailable at present and in a couple of weeks time a new Himalayas’ trekking season is coming up.

Afaik the set of TIB-pages is now online at Gareth’s website only (in a pdf). If you want a link, please let me know. But imo it wouldn’t harm to have more attention paid (again) to the TIB in the circles of Nepali trekkingsagents, TAAN, and the lodgeowners and guides/porterguides who cover the Khumbu.

[Lars]

..problem is that I dont posess good office skills and don't know how to get the poster in a word doc on to trekinfo.com can anyone help?
If I was at home I could easily have done that. But now I am traveling in
Thailand and don't have access to relevant software or my Ftp-site.

Lars
Lampang, Thailand

PS It has to be said to Julians family that by regulars on this board Mieke
is considered to be a bit of a nut case. She has no own experience of
trekking and has obviously never been to The Himalayas. Her posts
may seem to be worth attention but no regular here takes her seriously.
Sorry, but you should not waste time and energy on her rantings, there
are more important things to do.

[yakshaver]

Thanks Lars, and everyone who has kindly offered help and advice. Only problem is that I dont posess good office skills and don't know how to get the poster in a word doc on to trekinfo.com can anyone help?

Rachael, (Julians sister)

Rachel,

I am trying to put a draft of a poster together, with one of the pics on Andrees' website.

I need some contact phone numbers and emails. I believe at least one phone number should be from Nepal.
Else a couple of emails, maybe yours and your husband's..

If anyone has any other ideas, please let us know.
I want to put something up, which can be printed anywhere, as well as being on this site.

Cheers

[Plumm]

thanks to you,
emails to use; gregcrowter@yahoo.com findjulianwynne@hotmail.co.uk
the British Embassy number in Nepal is (977) (1) 4410583
greatly appreciated, we are setting up a website too, will keep you posted.

[Per]

PS It has to be said to Julians family that by regulars on this board Mieke is considered to be a bit of a nut case. ... Sorry, but you should not waste time and energy on her rantings, there are more important things to do.

I second that energetically. Every time some one is lost Mieke pops up wallowing and regurgitating ad nauseum. As she has never set foot in the Himalaya she is best left ignored.

[Per]

If anyone has any other ideas, please let us know.

Could be a good idea to make two versions of the poster, one in English, one in Nepali, although Sherpas speak a Tibetan dialect they all learn to read and write in Nepali with devanagri script. Perhaps one of the Nepalese guides that hang out on this board could help with that.

I would also consider a reward, of say 1000 USD, for info that leads to that Julian is found. That is a lot of money, specially for the dirt poor porters from other areas of Nepal that flood the trails. A poster in devanagri and a decent reward would set them all looking for him. Just a thought .... not certain how it would be adminstered.

[Plumm]

Website for information on the disappearance of Julian http://www.findjuw.org.uk
there is a poster available.

[jules21]

I would also consider a reward, of say 1000 USD, for info that leads to that Julian is found. That is a lot of money, specially for the dirt poor porters from other areas of Nepal that flood the trails. A poster in devanagri and a decent reward would set them all looking for him. Just a thought .... not certain how it would be adminstered.

i have no experience with locating lost trekkers but can i suggest that such a reward is likely to result in a lot of false leads and general wasting of people's time chasing them up.

[Himalaya Rescue Dog Squad]

Dear all, who are concerned about Julian missing,

we just want to let you know that we are here! We read and store all the comments anyone has made right from the beginning of the discussion for analysing the case. We also hat a brief e-mail exchange with Julian's sister last week on her own request. There we have forwarded also a few suggestions. These are actually similar to what you all have offered during the on going discussion.
If we can be of any help what so ever, please contact us.
So far the information that is given here is developing well. Still we believe that , whatever anyone thinks about Mieke...she has a point with her suggestion to involve Nepalese media. It really has helped in some past cases to get Nepalese people motivated to help searching etc. Furthermore we have mentioned earlier to Julian's sister to consider a reward offer....that has helped us also in an other case to find out what happened to an other missing person.
We sincerely hope that Julian is still alive somewhere out there.
A missing person is to be considered alive as long as there is no prove of the opposite. This is a lesson HRDSN learned already in the case of James Scott in 1993 and in the case of a Japanese woman who's name we are not allowed to reveal, in 1994.

regards ingo & govinda

[Per]

i have no experience with locating lost trekkers but can i suggest that such a reward is likely to result in a lot of false leads and general wasting of people's time chasing them up.

Maybe, but if some one I cared for very much got lost in upper Khumbu I would go to Namche or Tengboche, get a room and be prepared to stay put, and set up posters in Nepali offering a reward and make sure both locals and the hundreds of porters that travel the trails knew about it. I don´t think the Nepalese would waste my time. Most of these guys come for the day labour, have vague postal adresses, no phones nor email accounts. So they would stick around. They would not give false info as they would not want to waste their time hanging around for nothing.

The point is of course to get a lot of people looking for him. Hundreds of Nepalese see much more than a small search party.

Just my two cents.

[julia]

I agree with you Per.

Also, they would not receive the reward unless they had genuine evidence or had found him, what would be the point in giving false information if it did not lead to a reward.




Maybe, but if some one I cared for very much got lost in upper Khumbu I would go to Namche or Tengboche, get a room and be prepared to stay put, and set up posters in Nepali offering a reward and make sure both locals and the hundreds of porters that travel the trails knew about it. I don´t think the Nepalese would waste my time. Most of these guys come for the day labour, have vague postal adresses, no phones nor email accounts. So they would stick around. They would not give false info as they would not want to waste their time hanging around for nothing.

The point is of course to get a lot of people looking for him. Hundreds of Nepalese see much more than a small search party.

Just my two cents.

[yakshaver]

Dear all, who are concerned about Julian missing,

we just want to let you know that we are here! We read and store all the comments anyone has made right from the beginning of the discussion for analysing the case. We also hat a brief e-mail exchange with Julian's sister last week on her own request. There we have forwarded also a few suggestions. These are actually similar to what you all have offered during the on going discussion.
If we can be of any help what so ever, please contact us.
So far the information that is given here is developing well. Still we believe that , whatever anyone thinks about Mieke...she has a point with her suggestion to involve Nepalese media. It really has helped in some past cases to get Nepalese people motivated to help searching etc. Furthermore we have mentioned earlier to Julian's sister to consider a reward offer....that has helped us also in an other case to find out what happened to an other missing person.
We sincerely hope that Julian is still alive somewhere out there.
A missing person is to be considered alive as long as there is no prove of the opposite. This is a lesson HRDSN learned already in the case of James Scott in 1993 and in the case of a Japanese woman who's name we are not allowed to reveal, in 1994.

regards ingo & govinda

Could you please provide me with an email and a phone number, so I can add these to the poster? I will then upload it to this site, as well as send it to you in the email. The sooner the better.

Thanks

[yakshaver]

Could be a good idea to make two versions of the poster, one in English, one in Nepali, although Sherpas speak a Tibetan dialect they all learn to read and write in Nepali with devanagri script. Perhaps one of the Nepalese guides that hang out on this board could help with that.

I would also consider a reward, of say 1000 USD, for info that leads to that Julian is found. That is a lot of money, specially for the dirt poor porters from other areas of Nepal that flood the trails. A poster in devanagri and a decent reward would set them all looking for him. Just a thought .... not certain how it would be adminstered.


Good idea. Both in fact. Maybe HRDSN can help with the distribution of the posters...
It is difficult to manage remotely.

[Himalaya Rescue Dog Squad]

We are posting a picture of Julian at our MISSING page a.s.a.p.
Our webmaster will take care of this. There we also will provide the link to:
http://www.findjuw.org.uk/

regards
Govinda Ale
Chairman
HRDSN

[Plumm]

Can anyone help with translating the poster found on www.findjuw.org.uk into Nepali?
Reward for information leading to Julian's whereabouts $1000 US
Thank you, Rachael

[daveinjakarta]

Hi Rachael,
How are things going in Katmandu?
Are they on their way to Namche now?
rgds,
Dave

[Plumm]

Greg and Lee are in Namche now, they arrived yesterday, acclimatising and waiting for the porter. They will be leaving to continue the trek tomorrow.
Rachael

[Per]

Greg and Lee are in Namche now, they arrived yesterday, acclimatising and waiting for the porter. They will be leaving to continue the trek tomorrow.

I think that if they ask some friendly Sherpa will help them make flyers in Nepali. It is essential to get all locals that travel the trails looking for him.

[andrees]

it is absolutely off season, so not many people will have been in the area end of december. Porters who are not originating from Khumbu will stay in lower and warmer parts. Most of the lodge owners will go either home to their family or to Kathmandu. So I would not expect to much from posters isn the short time.
If i remember well many lodge owners in the Gokyo area come from Khunde or Kumjung. Going from house to house and leave pictures will target promising People. Because in the after season they will remember every guest.
Going up later to Gokyo, Dragnag and Phortse and asking the Lodge owners of the open ones and carfully reading the menue ordering boooks could give a clue where Julian has last been seen.
i thing that then only a helicopter search could find Julian because if he would been in any house news of him would already have reached namche.

[Oli]

Media reports... BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/dorset/7845756.stm) & MountEverest.net (http://www.mounteverest.net/news.php?id=17984)

[Per]

news of him would already have reached namche.

Not necessarily, it is just a week since his family started to get really worried and ask questions and the news got out. It is only now, when his relatives have arrived in Khumbu, the locals are becoming aware of that he might be missing.

[matt09]

Hi, ive just returned from the trek and seen the posters at namche. I crossed cho la on the 21st of Jan from the gokyo side. At the time, i'd been told by a guide that a group of three europeans were missing, i'm not sure if this is true? From reading Oli's comments about Lees description of events, i can agree that i might have headed down the east side of the Gokyo valley as a shorter cut to EBC, i considered it as the going got harder.

As an unfit, non-trekker I was quite shattered by 12pm, i might have been tempted to go back to Gokyo for the night as the slog up the hill to the pass took it out of me. It might be worth looking at a direct route accross the glacier, i think i'd have been tempted to short cut it because the top way is a bit of a slog at 1hr 45mins for me, and on the return i'd be shattered. I'd walked accross the glacier the day before during mid-day and it was quite slippery with rock falls etc. I never felt safe on it.

The posters are promintent though, so hopefully with more people arriving each day the word should be out. Certainly try the nepali press. The best bet is just numbers though, can you get more guides and start small groups looking in different locations? They are very good, 6 pound a day each maybe too, so in teams to two it might not be too expensive. Also, his friend Lee can provide the best help, is he the Lee searching? He'll know how fit he was feeling, what time of day did they seperate and where he might have headed. I think it took me 4.5 hours to get to the pass, and all of it uphill. I would have gone back to gokyo or the next village down. Is it possible to get all the email addresses from every trekker in the area through the TIMS card registrations process, there might be data protection problems (but then this is nepal). A mass email with precise questions might turn up the two others he may have left with, they must be key.

[daveinjakarta]

Thanks for the update Matt. Good to see the word is out.
cheers,
Dave

[Plumm]

The story so far;
Greg, Julian's Brother in law, Lee who was originally with Julian, two experienced guides and two police men, (not sure how far the police intend to trek) are currently retracing Julian's movements. They are curently in Gokyo, where on day 1, they will trek up the two valleys to the North from the high camp, just below the west side of the Cho La. Then go on to Cho La, day 2 focusing on the Northen side of the pass and the ice fall on that same side. There is a new, rocky trail to the North of the small lake at the top of Cho La, and Julian might not have returned to the Southern (right) side of the glacier, if the trail wasn't clear. Day 3 they will pass the Cho La glacier, tracing the newer trail to Gokyo as well as the older one. Day 4 they will trek the glacial valley leading South to Na from High camp, on the west side of Gokyo.
We also now know that Julian returned to the Lodge at Dragnag/tagnag on the night of the 22nd after seperating from Lee, Julian told the owner that he was heading to Portse the next day. I would like to know if he left alone, and who else was staying at the Lodge.
I've not heard of any other trekkers missing.

A huge thankyou to everyone for all the help and advice offerred, keep it coming!

Rachael

[matt09]

No probs, if theres anything i can do from Kathmandu, just let me know as i'll be here a while.

I didnt realise there was a search on until i got back here, i hope the two who are up there have a tent, otherwise it will be hard work as Thangnak is close now.

When i arrived in namche on the 16th a police man sort of told me a man was missing, but he made it sound like it had been over a month and just generally said he might be somewhere in the Gokyo region, and that the police had already looked for him. We kept an eye out across the pass for the 'three europeans' we'd been told went missing on the pass just recently, but i think we were looking in the wrong places.

Best of luck though.

[daveinjakarta]

Hi Rachael,
Just wondering why the search party is concentrating around the Cho La when you have reported that Julien returned to and stayed at Dragnag again and was heading down to Portse the next day? This would indicate that he was intending to go down and either head around to Lobuje (and meet Ian) or back to Namche.
Cheers,
Dave

[daveinjakarta]

Sorry..to meet Lee..not Ian..daydreaming..
Wher did the information that Julien had returned to the lodge at dragnag come from? Is it considered reliable?
dave

[Plumm]

The owner of the lodge at Dragnag emailed me with the information that Julian had returned there that evening 7pm 22nd Dec after setting off at 7am 22nd Dec with Lee with the intention to cross the Cho La pass, and Julian told the owner he planned to go to Portse the next day.
Unfortunately I cannot contact the search party now, no phones or internet, which is so frustrating. I only recieved this information today, although I believe that the owner of the lodge (Which I think is now closed) is related to one of the guides in the search party.

There is now a poster in Nepali on the website www.findjuw.org.uk for any guides/trekkers who would be so kind to print off posters to distribute. Thankyou

Rachael

[andrees]

It is a logical choice to go down to phortse.
The trail from Dragnak to phortse is very remote and sometimes rather dangerous. I dont think that in this season there are many people living in the area. Most of them would go to lower villages during december and January.

Sometimes the trail is very smal an high above valle and you can easely fall down for mor than 50 m. I think it is quite possible that Julian had an accident there and can not come further by his own means. But he might still survive even in Januar in a sort of shelter.
He might also have taken refuge in one of the houses/stables on the way, for example if he would have broken his legs.

I not sure, that one could find him just looking from the trail. if he would have fallen down the ravine he might be not able to climb u again thus try to flolow the river at the bottom of the valley.

so most important would be, to ask people in Phortse, if they have seen Julian. The trail from Phortse to Pangboche can also be dangerous in Winter, so he might have also slipped on this part.

Lets hoppe that Julian is found fast.

[yakshaver]

It is a logical choice to go down to phortse.
The trail from Dragnak to phortse is very remote and sometimes rather dangerous. I dont think that in this season there are many people living in the area. Most of them would go to lower villages during december and January.

Sometimes the trail is very smal an high above valle and you can easely fall down for mor than 50 m. I think it is quite possible that Julian had an accident there and can not come further by his own means. But he might still survive even in Januar in a sort of shelter.
He might also have taken refuge in one of the houses/stables on the way, for example if he would have broken his legs.

I not sure, that one could find him just looking from the trail. if he would have fallen down the ravine he might be not able to climb u again thus try to flolow the river at the bottom of the valley.

so most important would be, to ask people in Phortse, if they have seen Julian. The trail from Phortse to Pangboche can also be dangerous in Winter, so he might have also slipped on this part.

Lets hoppe that Julian is found fast.

Agree. It seems that Phortse is the next "port of call" for the investigation. And based on information or lack thereoff in Phortse, perhaps re-tracing the trail to Dragnak while payng attention to all the more difficult areas.
But there are still a lot of unknowns and assumptions at this stage - so an open mind is still required so that other avenues of investigation are not closed.

[matt09]

Hi,

The news that Julian went back to Dragnak is quite important, i agree with dave on checking its validity, although it seems like an unlikely thing to get confused about. Is it possible to check the order book and compare handwriting, because nobody would stay there two nights running normally? If you can prove that he stayed there for 2 nights 100%, it may discount a lot of other areas of the search, ie the north.

I'd assume the aussies (oli) that he may have walked back with would have gone on to Gokyo if they did the pass by lunch? What time did Lee say he saw the three of them leave from the top of the pass? A return from cho la in 12 hours just seems a very long time. You could prob walk all the way over the pass to labouche in that time.

I've spoken to a few people here who seem to think that the tourist board should have information through TIMS and the gate register for trekkers nationalities and time of entry. I'd assume over any three week period at this time of year that the number of aussies entering the park would be below 10, so they should be able to get some names together. Can anyone confirm they were Aussies? Perhaps from Lee when he next gets back in touch? I'll go down and see if they can help at TIMS HQ.

I've also been told by sherpas that the Na to Phortse track was good and safe (Kamzang). Did julian have a map? If so which brand, as they all have slightly different routes marked out.

m

[Plumm]

Thanks matt,
I can only go with the info that the Lodge owner at Dragnak has told me, that Julian did return there at 7pm after leaving from there in the morning, and that he was surprised to see him. He said he asked Julian if he felt ok, as he knew Julian had intended to cross the Cho La pass, Julian said that he was fine and that he didn't want to cross.
Lee has said that the other two trekkers he spoke to as he ascended the Cho La pass were either Australian or New Zealanders, definately not locals.
I would be most gratefull if you can gain any information Matt from TIMS HQ, someone did say that the Tims may not provide us much information as Julian would have had an independent class ? unsure of this.
Thanks again
Rachael

[marcy]

If Julian did go to Phortse, and if he did make it to Phortse, then a logical next step for him might have been to go Phortse to Tengboche. That route (which i think is one of 2 ways from Phortse to Tengboche) has a pretty narrow exposed section that countours around the hills on very narrow trails with a steep tumble off to the right hand side that would send you quite far down if you lost your footing (I held my porter's hand chanting "dont look down" the whole time I was on it), and the path isnt traveled all that much -- the day I went I saw no one else on it at all. After descending to the river, that path then crosses a bridge, and then goes up through the forest and arrives via the backside of Tengboche. Note: I believe on the standard Khumbu maps, this trail is the one that is marked as a lesser-used trail that peters out partway to to Tengboche.

[Oli]

....TIMS HQ, someone did say that the Tims may not provide us much information as Julian would have had an independent class ? unsure of this.
TIMS (http://www.timsnepal.com/) is the "Trekkers' Information Management System" (website is useless & broken).

Every trekker requires a TIMS permit, and a form is completed that notes the rough itinerary (possibly as vague as "EBC trek") and expected start/finish dates, plus the trekkers nationality, passport number and (if applicable, and not in Julian's case) the trekking agency. In theory it is supposed to help trace missing trekkers, though in practice it can at best give only very approximate info - it will record when Julian first arrived at Namche, and after some time maybe flag up a problem if he hadn't checked out of the park by the end date on his permit. However, (as far as I know) these record are kept in ledger books rather that a central database so they cant be collated in a time frame that is useful to our search. And Lee had already alerted the park entry/exit post that Julian was missing, but I'm not sure if he told the guys at the police checkpoint in Namche.

Whatever mechanisms TIMS may have to raise alarms and provide assistance would most likely be under the care of TAAN (http://www.taan.org.np/), the Trekking Agents Association of Nepal. Be aware that they are a groups of trekking businesses and from previous experience they have not been very helpful about TIMS. I would suggest sending an email to TAAN (info@taan.org.np) and ask them to circulate a memo to their member agencies asking for all their guides and porters to be on the look out for Julian. Ask them to give you an update on what is being done by "officials" to help your search.

One of my Nepali friends has just mentioned to me that he heard talk of the search for Julian on the Nepali FM radio. But I've not yet seen any report in the local English media.

[Plumm]

thanks Oli,
media links can be found onwww.findjuw.org.uk

[Boulia]

Plumm/Oli

My agency in KTM confirmed they had received a circular with just such a request from TANN about Jan 16th. Had Julian's passport size photo attached. I no longer have the email unfortunately but could ask my guy to resend if you want what was actually circulated.

Cheers

[andrees]

If Julian did go to Phortse, and if he did make it to Phortse, then a logical next step for him might have been to go Phortse to Tengboche. .
If he was heading towards EBC he would probably have taken the direct trail from Phortse to Pangboche and planed to visit Tengboche on the way back. This would have saved him a lot of climbing and time.
The trail between Phortse an Pangboche can be also pretty lonesomly and often the exposed trail is right near step scarps.

[mieke]

It's not much as a contribution to this thread, but let me repeat this offer again as it wasn't really emphasised in any (English language) media so far:

To whoever reads this and belongs to the Nepali guides, porters, trekkingagents, lodge owners and so on:

http://www.findjuw.org.uk/

quote:

There is a $1000 US reward for information which leads to the discovery of Julians whereabouts


contact:

Email : findjulianwynne@hotmail.co.uk
Email : gregcrowter@yahoo.com

British
Embassy : British Embassy
P O Box 106
Lainchaur
Kathmandu
Nepal

Telephone (Embassy) : (977) (1) 4410583

Fax (Embassy) : (977) (1) 4411789


This being a very honest example the other day of how an international press agency (IANS) feels about the situation:

http://www.sindhtoday.net/south-asia/56542.htm

British trekker missing in Nepal but South African saved (Lead)

Jan 27th, 2009

Kathmandu, Jan 27 (IANS) While a British trekker, last seen at the foothills of the Himalayan ranges in northern Nepal in December, is still missing in Nepal, a South African was saved after he collapsed near the India-Nepal border, Nepal’s tourism officials said.

Julian Alexander Wynne, a 33-year-old from Hampshire, who was travelling in Nepal with his friend Lee Aaron Jeffries, has been missing since last month when the pair went trekking in the Everest region from mountainous Jiri district.

Though the two went up to Gokyo, a valley in north Nepal famed for the Gokyo Ri peak, on Dec 22, they decided to follow separate routes with Wynne reportedly taking the trail to the base camp of Mt Everest, the highest peak in the world. He had earlier told his family that he would be ‘off the radar’ for three weeks.

However, his family began to get worried after three weeks had passed without any news from him and they learnt that Jeffries had returned alone.

Wynne had originally planned to travel through India and Nepal for nine months.

‘Guides and porters have been looking for Wynne without coming across him,’ Ang Tshering Sherpa, chairman of Asian Trekking, told IANS.

‘In winter, the Cho Las pass, where he was seen last, becomes treacherous and slippery due to ice-formation. If he is not anywhere else, the possibility of an accident can’t be ruled out.’

Shaun Swilling, a South African tourist who was crossing into India from Nepal’s border town of Bhairahawa this month and collapsed due to diabetes, was taken by Nepal police to hospital and treated successfully.

Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) Tuesday said it had partially paid his medical and other expenses.

Officials coordinated with the South African embassy in Sri Lanka to trace Swilling’s friend, who was in India’s Rishikesh town, and facilitated the tourist’s return home.

‘Before he left Nepal, Swilling said, ‘Nepali hospitality saved my life’,’ NTB said in a press statement.

The press statement comes after the Nepal government was criticised for failing to make any official announcement about Wynne’s disappearance or to launch a search and rescue mission.

In March 2004, another Briton went missing in the Everest area.

Gareth Koch, a 24-year-old from Oxford, went missing around Namche Bazar. He has not been found yet.

A year earlier, Irish citizen Alex Ratnasothy was robbed on the way to Namche Bazar. His parents, who came to Nepal to search for him, reportedly found the 24-year-old had been robbed of his money, bag, guitar and even shoes in a village called Khari Khola.

Ratnasothy’s whereabouts still remain a mystery along with French tourist Celine Henri, who vanished from a national park on the outskirts of Kathmandu valley in 2005.

Wynne’s disappearance comes as an embarrassment for the new Nepal government that this month announced grandiose plans to draw one million tourists in 2011.

Though reeling under massive power outages, deteriorating security situation and regular closures, the government has detailed its plans to boost tourism two years later.

© 2009 Sindh Today






There are parents in Oxfordshire U.K., by the way, still waiting as well for information
on what became of their son, now almost five years ago. If you can: don't disappoint them!

[mieke]

@ Rachael, Sophie, Marc(us)

Trust me: I'm the one who first used the word discrete in relation to searches for trekkers missing in the Khumbu.

And although personally I don't have the slightest clue what's been going on this past fortnight, I wannna urge you to follow up on this - sincere as well as intelligent - question on Thorn Tree:


http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=1723102&tstart=0

Many of us would like to know what's working for you and what doesn't as you search for your brother. Please send us an an occasional update when you have a chance. I'm praying for you and your family.


It's not gonna work, you know, if at first of course you do your utmost to try and engage "those in the know" on the world wide web. Yet only to leave them behind with many questions although an extensive search is definitely going on!


No hard feelings, I hope. I'm just applying logic: you turned to the web, and it answered many a question to you. It would be illogical to believe that with the arrival of Julian's brother in law in the Khumbu over a week ago, all problems have now been solved. So please, let me second TT's tomtraveller and urge you to post updates everywhere you're present - online - in this search!

Thank you.

And should you doubt I feel your pain: you're wrong...

[mieke]

And for everyone's info, this is a link & full text re. the current page on the website of the Nepal Police. It's been there (the appeal) for quite some time. But they've meanwhile significantly extended the text and they've added an additional photo, as obviously they're doing their best as well to try and find back Julian Wynne.


http://www.nepalpolice.gov.np/index.php?%20%20option=com_content&task=view&id=1150&Itemid=116

Missing Person

Julian Wynne(32) English
Last seen 22/12/2008 near cho la pass
Please help with any information
Contact- gregcrowter @ yahoo . com
Or
British Embassy, Kathmandu, Nepal
P O Box 106
Lainchaur
Kathmandu
Telephone: (977) (1)4410583
Fax: (977) (1)4411789

The case of the missing of British Citizen

News for Press Release for Missing Person :

Imagine you’re a detective and a case docket lands on your desk. You’re tasked to crack an international mystery that unfolded after a rich British tourist Mr. Julian Alexander WYNNE Passport Number 205076879 missing without a trace somewhere in Solukhumbu , Nepal . The man with same nationality Mr. Lee Auran Jefferies Pass Port Number 706668079 was traveling with returned Kathmandu on dated 31 January 2009 without him just fourteen days after the pair touched down at Namchhe Bazar ,Solukhumbu.

Sherlock Holmes always began his investigations by gathering clues and eliminating the impossible. Whatever was left, the legendary sleuth argued, was the truth, “no matter how improbable”. Unfortunately in this mystery there are few clues, little that can be ruled out and over a million square kilometres where Julian could be.
It is unknown whether he is alive or dead. It is strongly believed that he never left Nepal. Julian date of birth was 21 January 1976 in Portsmouth ,England. He worked in construction in UK .

Mr. Wynne and Jefferies, both of them left Jiri for Namchhebajar on 18th December 2008 and made one night halt in Dole and second night halt in Macchermo area and third night in Gokyo .At the bottom of the pass Mr. Jeffries and Mr. Wynne parted company and Mr. Wynne was last seen walking towards Thagnag alone .On 22 December 2008 they crossed the Chhugyuma (Cho La Pass ).

Physical Background : Mr. Wynne is around 1.78 m and was wearing a black and blue North Face fleece and pair of black north face trousers .His backpack was a green army type. Julian would have been wearing a Manchester united T-Shirt under .

Appeal: INTERPOL NCB Kathmandu has allegedly been asked to assist and, in case there is a body, the British Embassy have requested help with identification .

The British Embassy had been made aware by the family that they are going to reward 1000 USD for anyone who can help locate Mr. Julian Wynne and provide substantial information on this regards Anyone who offers reliable information that leads to Julian whereabouts' location could collect the reward, put up by his family who are searching .

“The police cannot exclude that a crime took place,” Local police plan to begin distributing Julian’s photo and boost their efforts to locate him. The Interpol NCB Kathmandu has been called in to help find the 32-year-old who was trekking to Solukhumbu area with his friend and disappeared from the Cho La Pass (Chhugyuma).

Contact Number and Address: Anyone with information can contact any police units near by or Inspector Mohan Thapa , Interpol Section of the Missing Persons desk , Police Headquarters at 00977-1-4420538 or Mobile Number 9841347071 and email Interpol @ nepalpolice .gov.np or on the British Embassy Kathmandu at 00977-1-4410583.


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From the UK in Nepal-website:

http://ukinnepal.fco.gov.uk/en

Contact us

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[Plumm]

With reference to Mieke's post

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=1723102&tstart=0

Many of us would like to know what's working for you and what doesn't as you search for your brother. Please send us an an occasional update when you have a chance. I'm praying for you and your family.
Sorry that I haven't posted an update, it was only yesterday the search team decided to make their way back to Kathmandu, we have all been eagerly awaiting information.

Thank you for all your comments, help and advice. I'm afraid that the search has not bought us any news of Julian. The search party set up camp in the Cho La region and spent 4 days searching every possible trail surrounding the area, as this was where Lee-(his trekking companion) separated. They then returned to Namche to discover Julian had stayed in Dragnag the eveing after he left Lee, and told the owner he was heading to Phortse the next day, the search party went back to retrek this route paying particular attention alondside the river bank, in case Julian had fallen off the main trail, as in the case mentioned above by "still trekkin" We dhttp://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=1723102&tstart=0
on't know if Julian ever made it to Phortse, many of the lodges are closed so we cannot check menu books or ask owners. A search was also made on the trek to Tengboche. Posters have been distributed through all these areas, Taan have sent memos to all the trekking agencies asking them to be on the lookout for Julian/information. There have been radio broadcasts in Nepal to appeal for information, and finally now local newspapers are running the story.
The search party are now making their way back to Kathmandu. We are all feeling devastated.
Rachael, Julian's sister.

[yakshaver]

I don't know what to say Rachel. Worst possible nightmare...

[Trekwalla]

This shows that the TIMS system is a totally useless hoax perpetrated by the Nepal trekking agents to try to protect their interests. It does not work and, instead, provides a false sense of security that someone is looking after you.

The moral of this story continues to be don't trek alone.

[Plumm]

Recent News of the search. This has been written by Greg, Julians brother in law who went to search for him with Lee.

Greg arrived in kathmandu 19/01 and met with British embassy, interpol and Himalayan mountain rescue none of whom were very useful, this was followed up with a meeting between HMR and the guides that kim of kamzng had suggested. HMR concured that we had the right type of guides in angnuru and gurman of himalayan mountain guides (henry Todds company?)
21/01 greg and lee flew to lukla arriving at 13.30 and walked to monjo where they stayed for the night distributing posters of julian ( this was done at each overnight stop.
22/01 entered sangamartha national park and walked to namche
23/01 spent another night in nnamche putting up posters in tea houses bakery, police posts etc and met with local police who said that they had sent 3 patrols to look for julian but it turns out that these were just routine patrols that the police carry out and that at no time do they deviate from the main trails.
24/01 walked to phortse with 2 local police officers who were useless i.e. they couldn't keep up with lee and I and didn't speak english. to be fair to them though they id converse with locals along the way. We met with our 2 guides and porter who carried tents etc and stayed the night in phortse. Whilst here we received a call from Lhapka Dorje Sherpa (HMG) who informed us that no trekers had stayed at the Thagnag/ Dragnag lodge on the night of 22/12 which narrowed our search area from cho la pass to Thagnag.
25/01 walked to machermo by which time I had started to experience problems with altitude but diamox and 10-12 hours sleep seemed to cure.
26/01 walked to gokyo to meet our second porter ( carrying food etc for our camp at cho la)
27/01 our guides and porters left for cho la to set up camp and begin the search. Lee and I remained in gokyo and climbed gokyo ri for acclimatisation as I was unable to make it to the top the day before due to headaches and dizzyness.
28/01 walked to cho la camp and began to help with search of the area. stayed overnight in tents (pretty cold camping at over 5000M in the middle of winter when you've just come from an Australian summer!)
29/01 spent most of the day searching around the rock field, valleys and alternative pass. We also went upto the cho la pass glacier which had changed significantly since lee was there with julian in december. The crevasse on the clacier is now huge and apparently bottomless when rocks are thown in. At this point we were very down and feared maybe we had discovered julians problem. In the afternoon we split with lee and one guide heading back down the valley to Thagnag searching up and down the valley sides in any possible overhanging rocks etc. whilst the other guide, porter and I walked down the valley to tshomteng following the yak trails and searching similar rocks and sheltered places. We met and questioned yak farmers but none remembered seeing julian. We met with lee and the other guide at tshomteng and all walked together to Thare where we spent the night.
30/01 we left thare and headed for Phortse confident that we had searched the possible areas that julian might be found in but when we got to an area maybe an hour from Phortse and phone signals returned we received a call frop Lhapka Dorje to say that the tea house owner at Thagnag definately remebered Julian returning to Thagnag 22/12 and leaving for Phortse 23/12 at 8am. At this time we were headed for namche so continued on our journey seething that we had been searching the wrong area for 3 days. At phortse we checked at all of the open tea houses to see if anyone remembered julian staying on the 23rd but none did. It seems that if julian was staying at phortse 23rd he may have stayed at the peacful lodge which is now closed and the owner as yet cannot be contacted as he has gone to varanase to see the dalai lama.
31/01 having regrouped at Namche lee and I decided to head back up the trail to check the area between thagnag and phortse more carefully as in the previous days we had been convinced that julian was somewhere between thyagnag and cho la. We walked to pangboche and met again with our 2 guides where we spent the night. We heard from a woman from thare whilst in panboche that she believed she had seen julian carrying a green rucksack and wearing an ipod on the 23/12 but we are unsure of the reliability of this sighting
01/02 Lee went alone to Pheriche and dingboche to ask around the lodges and distribute posters whilst I walked with the 2 guides to phortse. In phortse we picked up another local sherpa guide and headed back towards thare on the low yak trails. We covered much of the valley walking / climbing from river to trail and back many times in our search and headed back to Phortse from thare at the end of the day.
02/02 Lee left pangboche and I left phortse, we met at namche and continued our walk to lukla.
03/02 flew pm from lukla to kathmandu. went to embassy to give them what little information we had found out
and tomorrow I fly home to Australia to support my family at this difficult time.

I fear the worst for Julian due to the following information.
Julian was last seen 23/12/08
at this time he had only around 10'000 rps
julian has not signed out of the national park
julian has not left nepal at any border control
julian has not been arrested in tibet
julian has not made contact with any family or friends at christmas, new year or his birthday 21/01

Please join me in prayer and thoughts for julians family and friends at this very distressing time

[yakshaver]

Our thoughts and prayers are with you Rachel, and the rest of Julian's family, at this dreadful time. And with Julian as well. Who knows, a glimmer of hope remains.

[julia]

We can only imagine what you are going through, yes, we are praying that he is found safe, and to keep you strong, no matter what happens.

[critter2722]

Any new info circulating?

best,

critter

[Plumm]

Sadly no new information. Unfortunately no one has seen anything now the trekking season has begun. Can I ask all trekkers/guides/porters in the Everest region to keep their eyes open, especially on the route between Dragnag and Portse, this area has already been searched but to no avail. Could I also ask trekkers to this area, if they would be so kind, to download and print a few posters off the website to distibute at the lodges www.findjuw.org.uk/
Thank you, Rachael