Three climbers died on Everest over the weekend and another is missing, officials confirmed yesterday, in one of the deadliest episodes on the peak since an avalanche swept through base camp killing 18 people two years ago.
More than a dozen climbers have also been rescued from the 8,848m mountain in the last three days after running into difficulties while attempting to summit, helicopter rescue operators said.
The weekend deaths appear to be related to altitude sickness and bring the toll to five during a season that has been hit by unpredictable weather, strong winds and unusually cold temperatures.
Photo: AP
The weather calmed over the weekend, opening a narrow window for climbers to make a bid for the top.
Despite the large numbers crowding toward the peak, there have been no reports of long lines delaying climbers.
More than 100 climbers were yesterday expected to attempt to summit from Nepal’s south side before the weather changes, bringing strong winds, according to forecasts.
Slovak climber Vladimir Strba was found dead on Sunday, a few hundred meters from the summit, Kamal Parajuli of Nepal’s Tourism Department confirmed.
He was above the 8,000m mark — known as the mountain’s “death zone” — when he died, an area that also claimed the life of US climber Roland Yearwood.
The death zone is notorious for its difficult terrain and thin air, where low levels of oxygen heighten the risk of altitude sickness.
An Australian climber died on the Tibet side of the mountain, local media reported, quoting the Tibet Mountaineering Association.
The 54-year-old from Queensland State was reportedly hit by altitude sickness after reaching 7,500m and died as he was trying to descend.
A fourth climber has been missing since Saturday when he lost contact shortly after reaching the summit. His Nepali guide was found unconscious at Camp 4, just below 8,000m, with severe frostbite.
A search operation is under way for the climber, who is from India’s northern Uttar Pradesh state, but authorities at Base Camp were unable to contact the rescue team yesterday morning.
Legendary Swiss climber Ueli Steck died late last month while on an acclimatization climb, and 85-year-old Min Bahadur Sherchan perished attempting to reclaim his title as the world’s oldest person to summit Everest.
More than 120 climbers have successfully summited Everest from the south side so far this season, with another 80 reaching the peak from the Tibet side.
Hundreds are still waiting to summit before the monsoon arrives early next month, marking the end of the short spring climbing season.
Last year Everest claimed the lives of five climbers, while a total of 640 people summited from both sides of the mountain.
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