Indian woman climber dies during Everest descent, climbing season death toll reaches 13

KATHMANDU: An Indian woman climber died on Mt Everest last night, bringing death toll to 13 on different mountains above 8,000 m in the spring climbing season, the expedition organisers said.

According to Thupden Sherpa, an official at Arun Treks, Anjali S Kulkarni from Mumbai, India breathed her last at above Camp IV after she fell ill while descending from the summit point yesterday.

The incident occurred when Anjali along with her husband Sharad Kulkarni were returning from the summit point, Sherpa quoted the fellow climbers as saying from Camp IV. The duo successfully made it to the roof of the world on Wednesday morning, he added.

The 54-year-old climber was part of the six-member expedition led by Rabindra Kumar, according to the Department of Tourism.

Efforts were underway to recover her body from Camp IV, the officials said.

Donald Lynn Cash from Utah, US, breathed his last a few metres below the Hillary Step (8,700 m) while returning from the summit point on Wednesday while Irish mountaineer Seamus Lawless went missing from the balcony area on May 16. Ravi Thakar from India breathed his last at Camp IV while returning from the Everest summit last week.

According to the officials, the season witnessed at least 13 fatal incidents with four deaths on Mt Everest, three each on Mt Kanchenjunga and Mt Makalu as well as one each on Mt Lhotse, Mt Annapurna and Mt Cho Oyu till date.

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