Eight individuals lost their lives while scaling the world’s highest peak on Wednesday, according to tourist authorities and expedition organizers. The climbing season smashed several records.
Rakesh Gurung of the tourism department reported that more than 600 climbers and guides had made it to the 8,849-meter (29,032-foot) high Himalayan peak; however, the precise number has not yet been confirmed.
“Teams have packed up and the route will be closed now,” Gurung told AFP. “The season has ended.”
Last year was the deadliest season on the mountain with 18 fatalities, but the toll for 2024 was much lower despite climbers reporting bottlenecks at the peak.
Two climbers from Mongolia and one each from Kenya, India, and Nepal were among the eight deceased.
Three individuals are reported missing and thought to be deceased: two Nepali guides and a British climber.
Eight of the ten highest peaks in the world are found in Nepal, which attracts hundreds of travelers each spring when the weather is mild and the winds are usually calm.
This year, records were broken by Phunjo Lama of Nepal, who became the world’s quickest female mountain climber after only 14 hours and 31 minutes.
It often takes days for climbers to reach the summit.
