The 69-year-old mountaineer was on an acclimatization rotation at around 6,400 meters when he passed away on Monday due to feeling unwell. Efforts are currently underway to bring his body back, however, bad weather is hampering the recovery efforts.
The US-based expedition organiser International Mountain Guides confirmed the news, stating that the climber was one of their team members. They further clarified that the death was not due to a climbing accident or route condition that would pose a potential impact or safety concern to any other teams on the mountain.
The spring climbing season on Everest had already experienced a tragic start last month with the death of three Nepali climbers. The trio was crossing the Khumbu icefall when they were swept into a deep crevasse by a block of glacial ice during a supply mission.
Nepal has issued 466 permits to foreign climbers this season, and with the majority of climbers needing a guide, more than 900 people will attempt to summit the world’s highest peak. This could result in heavy traffic and bottlenecks en route to the summit, especially if there is a shorter climbing window due to unfavorable weather.
On average, around five climbers die every year on Mount Everest, but in 2019, the death toll rose to 11, with overcrowding being a major factor. Nepal is home to eight of the world’s 10 highest peaks and attracts hundreds of adventurers each spring when temperatures are warm and winds are typically calm.
The death of the US climber on Everest follows the death of Northern Irish climber Noel Hanna on Annapurna, the world’s 10th highest mountain, in April.
The 56-year-old climber died at Camp 4 while returning after a successful summit of the 8,091-meter peak. Baljeet Kaur, a record-holding Indian climber, and her compatriot Arjun Vajpai were rescued after a search lasting hours, while Anurag Maloo was rescued alive after falling into a crevasse.
