Ed Jackson on Himlung Himal. Photo: Beetle Campbell

A quadriplegic adventurer and his team had to be airlifted off a Himalayan mountain after they got into difficulties.

Ed Jackson’s lead guide on the expedition to climb Himlung Himal fell into a crevasse and had to be pulled back out.

Jackson was aiming to summit the 7,126m (23,380ft) peak but was forced to retreat after conditions were deemed too dangerous to continue the push to the summit.

The incomplete paraplegic still managed to claim the record for the highest ascent for a person with his condition.

The Berghaus-sponsored venture was an attempt to be the first climber with a spinal cord injury to reach the summit of a 7,000m-plus mountain.

Jackson was joined on the expedition by friend and trainer Arron Collins-Thomas and Ben Halms, who has also suffered a major spinal injury and is a beneficiary of the charity Millimetres 2 Mountains, which the ex-rugby player founded to help other people who face similar challenges as him. Jackson and Halms used kit that was modified by Berghaus, to help them climb despite their physical disabilities. After reaching basecamp and acclimatising, the three men and their local guides made good progress on the peak.

A Berghaus spokesperson said: “Himlung Himal has not been climbed for over two years and the glacier has changed considerably in that time.

“Among other complications, the team was unable to use the usual camp-three location on the mountain, and had to push for the summit from camp two.

“They successfully reached 6,800m, but conditions from that height were deemed too unsafe, so the decision was made to retreat. The team descended to the shoulder of Himlung Himal at about 6,100m, to discover that conditions had deteriorated during their climb.

The Himlung Himal expedition team. Photo: Beetle Campbell

“The lead guide fell into a crevasse and had to be pulled back out by colleagues. Although shaken, he was relatively unhurt. However, the team was in a very dangerous situation and the decision was made to call for helicopter rescue, which was not possible until the following morning.

“The climbers spent a night without tent, sleeping bags, food or water, in temperatures that dipped below -20C. The insulated Berghaus clothing that Ed, Ben, Arron and team were using proved to be vital during the night, and everyone was evacuated from the mountain by helicopter when daylight came. Ed, Ben and Arron have now flown back to the UK.”

In 2017 Jackson dived into the shallow end of a swimming pool and suffered serious spinal injuries, ending a 10-year rugby career. He was initially completely paralysed from the chest down and medics told him would probably never walk again.

He managed to twitch a toe while in his hospital bed and began his slow rehabilitation. Though he can now walk, he has limited movement and a lack of feeling in his limbs. He has previously climbed two peaks in the European Alps with mountaineer Leo Houlding.

Ed Jackson said: “Every spinal-cord injury is different and although Ben and I still live with many of the complications that come with that, we feel very lucky to even be in a position to attempt this kind of challenge.

“There was no road map for living and operating at these heights with our injuries and much of what we were doing was trial and error, in order to hopefully pave a way for others in the future.

Ed Jackson, left and Ben Halms on Himlung Himal. Photo: Beetle Campbell

“When you take on pursuits like this you have to accept that unprecedented situations can happen in the mountains; the dangers out there are real. It doesn’t matter who you are or how well you prepare, Mother Nature can intervene. But that element of risk is what makes the whole process feel so alive.

“Yes, it was scary, but I have shared a special experience with some amazing human beings and I don’t regret any of that. It just makes me appreciate everything else so much more. My respect for the high mountains and the people who live in those regions has never been greater.”

Ben Halms added: “This was more than just an expedition for me; it has given me something to focus on and to work towards during a difficult time. It has given me hope.

“The expedition itself has been mind-blowing, allowing me the time and freedom to get in my own head and think about my future. Not only have I exceeded other people’s expectations, I have exceeded my own. More than that, I’ve made friends and memories for life.”

The Himlung Himal expedition was filmed for a short documentary, which will be released later this year.