KATHMANDU, MAY 26
A Canadian climber died above Camp III on Mt Everest on May 25, taking the season's death toll to 12, officials said. At least two Nepali climbers and three foreigners are still missing in the high camps of Mt Everest.
Petrus Albertyn Swart from Canada breathed his last after he fell ill above Camp IV, said the base camp sources.
The Vancouver-based climber suffered from high altitude sickness while heading for the summit push and was helped to descend to Camp IV, sources said, adding that he then died on his way to Camp III. The climber was a part of an expedition managed by Madison Mountaineering, sources claimed.
Solo Hungarian climber Suhajda Szilard went missing from the Hillary Step after he attempted to scale Mt Everest without supplemental oxygen or personal Sherpa support on May 24. A team of Sherpa rescuers along with a helicopter has been trying to search for him, sources shared.
Deaf and mute Malaysian Hawari Bin Hashim, 33, has gone missing since May 18 when he arrived at Camp IV from the summit point while Shrinivas Sainis Dattatraya, an Indian Singaporean climber, went missing from 8,500m on Mt Everest. Shrinivas reportedly fell from 8,500 into the Tibetan side. Efforts are still underway to search for the missing climber, expedition organizers said.
Meanwhile, Janakpur-based Ranjit Kumar Shah and his Sherpa guide Lakpa Nuru remained out of contact from the South Summit since May 25, sources added. The duo's GPS was last tracked near the South Summit at around 1:00 am, sources said, adding that it was still uncertain whether they were descending to lower camps.
Earlier, Ang Kami Sherpa, a kitchen staff at Camp II, died on May 21 as he had fallen at the helipad when collecting logistics. 40-year-old Jason Bernard Kennison from Australia breathed his last while returning from the summit point on May 19.
According to officials, Malaysian police Ag Askandar Bin Ampuan Yaacub died above the South Col while climbing Mt Everest on May 19. "Sherpa climbers are on the way to the high camp to recover his body," officials said.
Xuebin Chen, 52, breathed his last near the South Summit on Mt Everest while heading for the summit push on May 18. An Indian woman climber, Suzanne Leopoldina Jesus, who fell ill at the Mt Everest base camp, also died in Lukla while undergoing treatment at a Lukla-based hospital at around 5:13 am on May 18. Victor Brinza from Moldova breathed his last after he fell ill at the South Col on May 17. Phurba Sherpa from Sankhuwasabha breathed his last near the Yellow Band above Camp III on May 16. American Doctor Jonathan Sugarman, 69, died during his acclimatization rotation at Camp II on May 01.
On April 12, Dawa Tseri Sherpa, Pemba Tenzing Sherpa, and Lakpa Rita Sherpa were buried in an avalanche that struck an icefall route above the base camp.
