KATHMANDU, MAY 19
A Malaysian police personnel died while climbing Mt Everest this afternoon.
According to Nivesh Karki, Director at Pioneer Adventure, the deceased has been identified as Ag Askandar Bin Ampuan Yaacub.
According to sources, Ampuan Yaacub who reached above south summit fell ill and couldn't go up. "The police personnel was then helped by a team of rescuers to descend," Karki said, adding that he breathed his last on the way down to Camp IV. His body is in South Col now and efforts are underway to bring it down to lower camps, sources said.
Mt Everest has recorded nine deaths in the spring season. Xuebin Chen, 52, breathed his last near south summit on Mt Everest while heading for the summit push yesterday. An Indian woman climber who fell ill at the Mt Everest base camp also died in Lukla yesterday morning. Suzanne Leopoldina Jesus from Mumbai breathed her last while undergoing treatment at Lukla-based hospital at around 5:13am on May 18.
Victor Brinza from Moldova breathed his last after he fell ill at South Col on May 17. Phurba Sherpa from Sankhuwasabha breathed his last near 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.
