A Westcountry Royal Marine has been awarded one of the world's highest civilian bravery honours by Royal approval for his courage in a life-and-death drama on the North Ridge of Mount Everest in May this year.
Royal Marine Darren Swift, 30, of Springfield Road, Elburton, Plymouth, is to receive a Royal Humane Society Silver medal which has been personally approved by the society's president, Princess Alexandra, for his role in the perilous rescue of a climber suffering from frostbite and snow blindness.
At many times during the rescue Mr Swift, and the man he rescued - Australian climber Peter Madew - were in danger of falling down sheer precipices. One false step could have resulted in them plummeting to certain death.
The horror incident leading to the award happened on 22 May this year. Swift was a member of a Royal Navy Everest North Ridge expedition which was preparing for an attempt on the summit.
The Humane Society citation says that the expedition was aware that a British climber had broken his leg high on the North East Ridge the previous day, but with the help of colleagues had managed to descend to a lower camp.
Mr Madew was one of the colleagues who had helped the injured man, but when the Royal Navy expedition reached them the citation says he had serious frostbite and snow blindness and was in a poor state.
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