Two Indian climbers who successfully summited Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak, died while descending from the mountain, according to Nepal expedition officials on Friday.
Rishi Bhandari, Secretary General of the Expedition Operators Association of Nepal, told PTI that one of the climbers became severely exhausted during the descent from the summit. Sherpa guides reportedly carried out an intense overnight rescue attempt from the Balcony area to the South Col, but were unable to save him despite repeated efforts.
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Another climber, identified as Arun Tiwari, reached the summit at around 5:30 pm with two experienced Sherpa guides. However, while descending near the dangerous Hillary Step section, he reportedly became too exhausted to continue. Rescue teams attempted to bring him down safely, but he later died during the descent.
Officials said Sandeep Are died at Camp II after being brought down by Sherpa rescuers, while Tiwari died near the Hillary Step during rescue operations involving four Sherpa guides.
The tragedy comes even as several Indian climbers achieved successful Everest summits this season. Among them were 21-year-old Saanika Shah and an all-women mountaineering team from the Border Security Force.
This year’s Everest climbing season has witnessed record activity. According to Nepal authorities, 274 climbers reached the summit in a single day from the Nepal side earlier this week. The climbing season officially began after rope-fixing operations were completed on May 13.
Nepal has issued a record 493 Everest climbing permits this year — the highest since Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary first conquered the peak in 1953.
