Two Indian mountaineers died while descending from the summit of Mount Everest after successfully scaling the world’s highest peak, officials in Nepal confirmed on Friday. The deaths occurred in the mountain’s notorious “death zone” — an area above 8,000 metres where oxygen levels are critically low and survival becomes increasingly difficult.
The deceased climbers were identified as Arun Kumar Tiwari and Sandeep Are. According to expedition officials, both climbers had reached the summit on May 21 before encountering severe difficulties during their descent. One reportedly died near Camp II, while the other collapsed close to the Hillary Step, one of Everest’s most dangerous sections.
A Sherpa guide associated with the rescue efforts reportedly said they were “unable to save them” despite repeated attempts to bring the climbers down safely. Recovery operations are currently underway, although officials said retrieving bodies from such extreme altitudes remains a major challenge.
The tragedy comes amid one of the busiest Everest climbing seasons in recent years. Nepalese authorities confirmed that a record 274 climbers reached the summit from the Nepal side in a single day earlier this week, leading to renewed concerns over overcrowding and dangerous “traffic jams” near the summit ridge.
Veteran climber Kami Rita Sherpa, who recently achieved a record 32nd ascent of Everest, warned that authorities should consider limiting the number of climbers allowed on the mountain. “Too many climbers on the route increase risks for everyone,” he reportedly said while speaking about congestion in the death zone.
Mountaineering experts have long noted that most Everest fatalities occur during descent rather than ascent, as climbers face exhaustion, dehydration, hypoxia and rapidly changing weather conditions after summiting. The extreme altitude severely reduces the body’s ability to recover, even for experienced climbers.
The latest deaths have once again reignited debate over the commercialisation of Everest expeditions and the growing number of permits issued each climbing season by Nepalese authorities. Nepal has reportedly issued nearly 500 climbing permits this season alone.
