In a tragic turn during the ongoing spring climbing season, two mountaineers—Subrata Ghosh from India and Philipp II Santiago from the Philippines—have die on Mount Everest, marking the first fatalities of the season on the world’s highest peak.
Subrata Ghosh, aged 45, successfully reached the 8,849-meter summit but die on Thursday while descending near the Hillary Step, a perilous section just below the summit located within the ‘death zone’—an area above 8,000 meters where oxygen levels are critically low. Bodhraj Bhandari of Nepal’s Snowy Horizon Treks and Expedition, which organized the climb, stated that Ghosh refused to descend from below the Hillary Step. Efforts are underway to retrieve his body, though the exact cause of death will be determined after a post-mortem examination.
Philipp II Santiago, also 45, died late Wednesday at Camp 4 on the South Col while preparing for his final ascent. According to Himal Gautam, a tourism department official, Santiago was exhausted upon reaching the high-altitude camp and died while resting in his tent. Both climbers were part of an international expedition organized by Snowy Horizon Treks and Expedition.
The spring climbing season, spanning March to May, is considered the optimal period for summiting Everest due to relatively favorable weather conditions. This year, Nepal has issued 459 permits for climbers aiming to reach the summit.Despite advancements in gear and logistics, Everest continues to pose significant risks; over 300 climbers have lost their lives on the mountain since expeditions began in the early 20th century.
The deaths of Ghosh and Santiago underscore the inherent dangers of high-altitude mountaineering, particularly in the ‘death zone,’ where the human body cannot acclimate to the low oxygen levels. Retrieving bodies from such altitudes is both perilous and costly, often requiring specialized teams and favorable weather conditions.
As the climbing season progresses, authorities and expedition organizers continue to emphasize the importance of proper acclimatization, adherence to safety protocols, and awareness of one’s physical limits to mitigate the risks associated with high-altitude climbing.
