This myth about losing an engine over the Himalyas and being in imminent danger is journo stuff. If you're in a 74 over Mt. Everest and an engine goes on vacation, it's not going to result in a crash dive to a lower altitude.... Furthermore, it would take no more than 15 minutes flying time to "clear" the extreme terrain heading south, in a gradual MCT descent, towards northen India.
Besides, by the time that you're cruising over the Himalayas, from wherever you're coming from, you'll most likely be already light enough to maintain FL 300 on three motors.
