Mount Everest Death Toll Reaches 5 as 275 Climbers Hit Summit in a Day
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · May 22
Mount Everest Death Toll Reaches 5 as 275 Climbers Hit Summit in a Day
14 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · May 22
Sandeep Are and Arun Kumar Tiwari died after summiting Everest and falling ill during their descent, taking the mountain's spring-season death toll to at least five.
275 climbers reached the 8,849-meter peak from Nepal's side on Thursday in a preliminary record for this season, with officials still verifying the total.
Kami Rita Sherpa, back in Kathmandu after his record 32nd ascent, said the mountain felt crowded and urged Nepal to cap permits and admit only qualified climbers.
Nepal has issued a record 492 foreign permits this season, and about 600 people including guides have summited since April after China closed Everest's Tibet route.
With new safety rules in place, why is Everest's 'death zone' more crowded and deadly than ever before?
As bodies litter Everest's 'Rainbow Valley,' is climbing the peak now an unforgivable act of deadly tourism?