Wounded British soldiers on Everest return safe

KATMANDU, Nepal – Five wounded British soldiers attempting to climb Mount Everest for charity have returned to base camp after being stranded for days at a high elevation camp because of bad weather.

An expedition statement says the team had left base camp April 27 to make a practice run up to Camp 3 but were forced to stop at Camp 2 at 6,400 meters (21,000 feet) because of extreme winds.

The climbers spent four days inside a tent surviving on reserve food supplies. They hope to reach Everest's peak to raise funds for Walking With the Wounded, which funds education for injured soldiers.

Weather has been unfavourable for the hundreds of climbers waiting at Everest base camp for the window of good weather in May when they set out for the 8,850-meter (29,035-foot) summit.