An Indian climber who was rescued from Everest has passed away in the hospital, as confirmed by a Nepali tourism official on Tuesday. This brings the total number of fatalities for this season on the world's highest mountain to eight. Banshi Lal, aged 46, was rescued from the mountain last week and brought to a hospital in Nepal's capital, Kathmandu.
Rakesh Gurung from the tourism department informed AFP, "He passed away at the hospital yesterday." Among the eight fatalities, three individuals – including a British climber and two Nepali guides – are still missing but presumed dead.
This recent fatality coincides with the conclusion of the Everest mountaineering season, during which the death toll has been relatively low compared to previous years. The deadliest season on the mountain was recorded last year with 18 fatalities.
In addition to the fatalities on Everest, three more individuals lost their lives while climbing other Nepali peaks, including a Romanian who was attempting to summit Lhotse, a mountain neighboring Everest. Furthermore, a French climber and a Nepali climber passed away on Makalu, the world's fifth-highest mountain.
Nepal is renowned for being home to eight of the world's 10 highest peaks and attracts hundreds of adventurers each spring, a time when temperatures are favorable and winds are typically calm. All the deaths on Everest occurred in areas above 8,000 meters, commonly referred to as the "death zone", where the combination of thin air and low oxygen levels increases the risk of altitude sickness.
This year, several records have been broken, including the world's fastest ascent of Everest by a woman achieved by Nepali climber Phunjo Lamam, who reached the summit in 14 hours and 31 minutes. Typically, climbers take several days to reach the top of the 8,849-meter mountain, spending nights at different camps to rest and acclimatize.
Additionally, 54-year-old Kami Rita Sherpa, also known as the "Everest Man", reached the peak of the world's highest mountain for a record 30th time, three decades after his initial summit. Nepal issued over 900 permits for its mountains this year, with 419 for Everest alone, generating more than $5 million in royalties.
Following the successful summit by a rope-fixing team last month, over 600 climbers and their guides have already reached the summit of Everest. China also reopened the Tibetan route to foreigners this year for the first time since its closure in 2020 due to the pandemic.
