The treacherous ascent of Mount Everest has claimed the lives of five climbers and left three others missing during the current spring summit season, officials report. Despite the typically more favorable weather from April to May, the dangers remain ever-present on the world’s highest peak.
Recent footage has revealed unnerving bottlenecks, with climbers queued precariously along narrow ridges, highlighting concerns over overcrowding and insufficient vetting of inexperienced climbers.
Most Everest expeditions begin with a ten-day trek to base camp in Nepal, followed by weeks of acclimatization and a final push to the summit. The mountain’s harsh conditions have resulted in over 300 recorded deaths, with an estimated 200 bodies unrecovered due to the difficulty of retrieval.
This season follows a particularly deadly spring last year, when 18 climbers perished, setting a grim record according to the Himalayan Database. As of now, five deaths have been confirmed, with fears that this number may rise.
On Wednesday, Binod Babu Bastakoti, a 37-year-old Nepali climber, died just above a base camp. On the same day, Joshua Cheruiyot Kirui, a 40-year-old Kenyan climber, died near the summit, and his guide, Nawang Sherpa, is still missing. Additionally, British climber Daniel Paul Paterson, 40, and his Nepali guide, Pastenji Sherpa, 23, went missing after an ice mound collapsed near the summit on Tuesday. Gabriel Viorel Tabara, a 46-year-old Romanian climber, died in his tent at an advanced base camp the same day. Earlier in the season, on May 13, two Mongolian climbers, Usukhjargal Tsedendamba, 53, and Purevsuren Lkhagvajav, 31, died attempting to summit without supplemental oxygen and Sherpa guides.
A collapse of a snow cornice stranded several climbers, causing significant chaos. Descending climbers encountered the collapse near the South Summit of Everest, around 8,800 meters (28,871 feet) in altitude. Some managed to recover, but Paterson and Sherpa could not be retrieved despite extensive search efforts, according to 8K Expedition. Lakpa Sherpa, director for the expedition, noted that traffic and poor coordination led to a dangerous backup of approximately 150 climbers.
Mountain guide Vinayak Jaya Malla, who was on the peak on Tuesday, shared footage showing climbers in perilous positions on a narrow ridge. He reported that oxygen supplies were dwindling for many stuck in the traffic, with some climbers being nearly saved by their safety ropes.
This year’s climbing window is longer than the last, noted Khimlal Gautam, an official at Everest base camp. Although fewer permits were issued—421 compared to 478 last year—the issue of overcrowding remains contentious. Gautam pointed out that sections like the Hillary Step inevitably get congested as climbers race for the summit, often ignoring advice to avoid such situations.
Among the climbers this season are notable figures such as Lucia Janičová, the first Slovakian woman to summit Everest, and Kami Rita Sherpa, who completed a record 30th ascent.
The ongoing tragedies underscore the relentless peril of Everest, where nature’s grandeur is matched by its deadly potential.