AN Australian climber given up for dead after spending a night in Mount Everest's "death zone" has been rescued.

Lincoln Hall, 50, collapsed 150m below the summit - 200m higher than Guisborough climber David Sharp, who died on the mountain two weeks ago.

Mr Hall reached the summit on Thursday, but as he began to descend was overcome by a shortage of oxygen and lost consciousness.

His Sherpas made efforts to lower him to safety, but after nine hours of trying, they were told to leave him behind by their expedition leaders.

They later reported that he had died.

Dan Mazur, an American climber who was trying to reach the summit with another party, found Mr Hall still alive on Friday. He radioed for help and gave him hot tea and oxygen.

A rescue team was dispatched and Mr Hall was helped down the mountain by 11 Sherpas.

He is now being treated for frostbite and swelling on the brain.

Early reports said that Mr Mazur helped Mr Hall, then continued to the summit. Yesterday, it emerged he sat with Hall and then descended with him.

The death of Mr Sharp, 34, sparked an international debate after amputee climber Mark Inglis said more than 40 people passed the Briton as he lay dying without attempting to help.

Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man to climb Everest, said the attitude to climbing the mountain had become "horrifying".

A spokesman for mounteverest.net, a website for climbers, said yesterday: "Considering the latest debate surrounding climbers who passed a dying David Sharp on their way to the summit of Everest, blaming everything from altitude to David's gloves, this rescue showed a different option.

"In an amazing joint effort, the entire mountain stood up on their feet offering what they had, including the chance of summits."

Mr Sharp's parents, John and Linda, have said they did not blame anyone for not helping their son.

Mr Sharp is one of 203 people who have died on Everest and among 11 to perish in the past six weeks - the worst ever season for individual fatal incidents.