Everest turns fatal for Indian climber, 45: ‘Refused to descend from death zone’
Everest turns fatal for Indian climber, 45: ‘Refused to descend from death zone’
Subrata Ghosh of India and Philipp II Santiago of the Philippines are the first known casualties on Everest this spring.
Two climbers, an Indian and a Filipino have died on Mount Everest, marking the first fatalities of the current March–May climbing season, officials confirmed on Friday.
Subrata Ghosh, a 45-year-old Indian climber, died on Thursday below the Hillary Step while descending from the summit. Ghosh had successfully reached the 8,849-metre (29,032-foot) peak but “refused to descend from below the Hillary Step,” according to Bodhraj Bhandari of Snowy Horizon Treks and Expedition, the company managing the climb.
The Hillary Step is situated in the notorious “death zone,” between the South Col and the summit, where oxygen levels are dangerously low and survival without supplemental oxygen is extremely difficult. Efforts are underway to recover Ghosh’s body and transport it to base camp. The exact cause of death remains unknown pending a post-mortem examination.
Philipp II Santiago, also 45, from the Philippines, died on Wednesday night at the South Col during his ascent. According to Nepal tourism official Himal Gautam, Santiago appeared extremely fatigued upon reaching the fourth high camp and died while resting in his tent.
Both climbers were part of the same international expedition organized by Snowy Horizon Treks and Expedition.
Nepal has issued 459 permits for Everest climbs this spring, and nearly 100 climbers and their Sherpa guides have already summited this week. The Everest climbing season is critical for Nepal’s economy, providing employment and tourism income in one of the world’s poorest nations.
According to records maintained by the Himalayan Database and local hiking officials, over 345 people have lost their lives on Mount Everest in more than a century of summit expeditions.
