A ‘terrifying’ fight between Sherpas and climbers on their way up Mount Everest has been blamed on a ‘slight misunderstanding’.

The high altitude dust-up happened when three climbers – from Britain, Italy and Switzerland – ignored a request from the Sherpas to stay put while they rigged up ropes.

Sherpas fix ropes to the ice and rock to help climbers of varying abilities make it to the top of the world’s highest mountain.

Ueli Steck, a Swiss national who holds climbing records, and Simone Moro of Italy, who has climbed the world’s highest peak four times, were with British photographer Jonathan Griffith.

The trio were approaching the 7,470-metre (24,500 feet) Camp Three on Saturday when an American eyewitness said they were asked to wait while a group of Sherpas fixed ropes.

The witness said the Europeans, who were trying to climb Everest by a new ‘undisclosed’ route without supplementary oxygen, ignored the request and carried on.

'The Sherpas told the team not to climb above them while they were fixing the ropes but they did it anyway,’ said the witness.

‘Then some ice fell and hit the Sherpas, which made them angry.’

Later the Nepalis reportedly approached the three men’s tents and began pelting them with stones until they came out then a loud argument broke out in which punches were thrown.

‘It was terrifying to watch – they nearly got killed,’ said the eyewitness.

But in a statement on his website Moro said it was ‘highly unlikely’ that any ice had fallen as a result of his group.

He claimed the group had been attacked by an ‘out-of-control mob’.

‘They became instantly aggressive and not only punched and kicked the climbers, but threw many rocks as well,’ said the statement.

Steck descended to the base camp after the attack and said he would abandon the climb and return to Kathmandu if proper security was not ensured.

Nepal’s Tourism Ministry official Dipendra Paudel said the government would ensure the safety and security of the climbers.

‘There was a slight misunderstanding and communication gap between them,’ said Paudel who added the three would resume their climb.

Beni Hyoju from the Cho-Oyu Trekking agency that organised the expedition said; ‘The Sherpas who were responsible for the fight will offer (an) apology.’

Sherpas are locals from the Everest region and are noted for their climbing skills.

They are responsible for fixing ropes and accompany most of the foreign climbers to the summit.

Hundreds of climbers from 32 expeditions and their Sherpas are on the 8,850-metres (29,035 feet) high Mount Everest in the current climbing season which continues through May.

About 4,000 climbers have reached the top of Everest since it was first scaled by New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay in 1953.

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