BEATEN EVEREST TEAM ARRIVE HOME

Staff reporter TWO months after having set off to become the first Majorcans to conquer Everest, the team arrived back in Palma yesterday having been beaten by the elements and forced to abandon their expedition. Climbers José María Álvarez, who was forced out of the expedition mid-way through the trip by bad health, Tolo Quetglas, Tolo Calafat and José Antonio Olivieri flew back to Palma yesterday. Accompanying them was journalist Joan Carles Palos from the Bulletin stablemate Diari de Balears who has been with the expedition every step of the way. There were emotional scenes with friends and families eagerly awaiting their arrival. The expedition ran into one of the worst storms to hit Base Camp for the last 15 years and were forced to abandon their attempt on May 25. Had they decided to wait for the next “window” for climbers to head up the south path, they would have had to wait until next week with morale running low.