"the threesome felt there was no point in them all being cold when a helicopter would pick them up in the morning."

To get that kind of a reaction from a SAR spokesperson speaks louder than any you can dream up as devil's advocacy. If the lives of the injured climber's three friends would have been in danger by staying on the glacier then I think he would have said it, even given the benefit of the doubt while they abandoned their friend to the elements. Nothing of the kind though - and this took place at 8,200 feet, not 18,200 feet or even 28,200 feet where the real 'death zone' occurs.

My own devil's advocacy, what a bunch of wankers.