An Indian climber and a Nepalese guide have died on Everest, their respective expedition organizations announced on Thursday. This has brought the number of deaths on the roof of the world to seven since the start of the mountaineering season.
Suzanne Leopoldina Jesus, a 58-year-old Indian teacher, died in a hospital in Lukla, where she was transported from the base camp after feeling unwell.
“We helicoptered the Indian climber from the base camp to Lukla on Wednesday because she was ill and unable to climb,” Da Dendi Sherpa, general manager of Glacier Himalaya Treks and Expedition, told AFP.
“We tried to transfer them to Kathmandu. But poor weather conditions prevented the helicopter from getting there,” he added. “She died this morning (Thursday).”
According to the Nepalese daily newspaper Himalayan Times, she wanted to be the first person in Asia with a pacemaker and the oldest Indian woman to reach the summit of Everest.
Under the motto “Everest expedition, at 58 and (with) a pacemaker” she had collected funds to finance her ascent.
Meanwhile, a Nepalese leader died Tuesday while descending Mount Everest, where he was taking part in the Nepalese army’s annual mountain cleanup operation.
“The operation to repatriate his body is underway,” Pasang Sherpa of expedition company Peak Promotion told AFP.
The climbing season on Everest this year began tragically with the deaths of three Nepalese climbers in April, an American in early May and a Moldovan on Wednesday.
Nepal is home to eight of the world’s ten highest peaks, including Everest, which stands 8,849 meters above sea level and welcomes hundreds of climbers each season, when temperatures are milder and winds are generally lighter.
The Nepalese authorities have already issued 478 climbing permits to foreign climbers. Including the guides who usually accompany them, more than 900 people will try to reach the top of the world this season, which lasts until the beginning of June.
On average, five climbers die on Everest per climbing season. In 2019, 11 deaths were reported, four of which were due to excessive attendance.