Kathmandu, May 18, (dpa/GNA) - Two climbers died on Mount Everest on Thursday, bringing the total death toll in the ongoing spring expedition season to eight, Nepali tourism officials said.
A Chinese climber died near the South Summit in the afternoon, while an Indian climber died at a hospital in Lukla early Thursday, according to Bigyan Koirala, an official at Nepal’s Department of Tourism (DoT). The Indian climber was airlifted from the base camp where she was acclimatizing. The exact cause of their deaths remains unknown.
“The body of the Indian climber has already been brought to Kathmandu, while we are yet to receive further details on the deceased Chinese climber,” Koirala told dpa.
With the two casualties, the death toll for this season has now risen to eight, DoT officials said. On May 17, a climber from Moldova died around South Col, while a Sherpa died around Camp III on May 16. A climber from the United States and three Sherpa climbers had died early in the season.
Sources at the base camp said that there has been an increase in cases of frostbite and altitude-related sickness this season.
“I have never seen such a high number of rescues within a single season. On Thursday alone, there were a minimum of 25 helicopter rescues from Camp II to base camp,” a source told dpa on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak to the media.
An estimated 350 people have summited Everest in 2023 as of late Thursday, according to government liaison officer Khimlal Gautam who is currently at the base camp.
“Several dozen climbers are still waiting for summit push at lower camps,” Gautam told dpa.
Most notably, climbing guide Kami Rita Sherpa made a record for the highest number of ascents by a Sherpa, scaling the peak 27 times. British climber Kenton Cool became the first non-Nepali climber to reach the summit 17 times, according to the Himalayan Times.
Nepal has issued permits to 478 climbers this year, excluding local guides.
Nepal is home to eight of the world’s 14 highest peaks, all above 8,000 metres.
GNA