An Indian mountaineer died on Mount Everest after suffering symptoms of altitude sickness while descending from the summit, becoming the second fatality on the world’s highest peak this climbing season, officials confirmed.
Subrata Ghosh, a 45-year-old climber from West Bengal, died just below the Hillary Step, a perilous section near the 8,848.86-metre (29,032-foot) summit. According to The Himalayan Times, Ghosh was part of the Mountaineering Association of Krishnanagar–Snowy Everest Expedition 2025 and had reached the summit late Saturday afternoon.
“Ghosh reached the summit around 2 p.m. but began to show signs of exhaustion and altitude sickness during the descent,” said Bodhraj Bhandari, Managing Director at Snowy Horizon Treks, the company organizing the expedition. “He eventually refused to continue moving down.”
His Sherpa guide, Champal Tamang, tried to encourage him to descend but was unsuccessful. Tamang returned alone to Camp IV late Thursday night and reported the incident early Friday morning.
Efforts are currently underway to recover Ghosh’s body and bring it back to base camp. The exact cause of death will be determined following a post-mortem examination.
The Hillary Step, located within the “death zone” — an area above 8,000 metres where oxygen levels are critically low — has historically proven dangerous for climbers attempting the final stretch to the summit and back.
Earlier this week, another climber, 45-year-old Philipp II Santiago from the Philippines, died at the South Col, a high-altitude camp just below the summit. Santiago was reportedly exhausted upon reaching Camp IV on May 14 and died while resting in his tent.
Both Ghosh and Santiago were part of international expeditions arranged by Snowy Horizon Treks.
This season, Nepal’s Department of Tourism has issued 459 permits to climb Everest, with over 100 climbers and guides having already reached the summit. More than 50 climbers have successfully scaled the peak this week alone.