Kathmandu: Two Indian mountaineers lost their lives due to severe exhaustion while descending from the summit of Mount Everest, Nepalese expedition officials confirmed on Friday. The deceased climbers have been identified as Sandeep Are and Arun Kumar Tiwari. According to Rishi Bhandari, Secretary General of the Expedition Operators Association of Nepal, Are reached the 8,848.86-metre peak on Wednesday, while Tiwari summited on Thursday afternoon at approximately 5:30 p.m.
The tragedy unfolded during an exceptionally busy week on the world’s highest peak. Local guides and sherpas reportedly made strenuous rescue efforts to assist the struggling climbers, but both succumbed to the extreme conditions. Are passed away on Thursday during his descent through the high-altitude terrain, while the exact timeline surrounding Tiwari’s death remains unconfirmed.
The losses occurred amidst a historic wave of ascents on the mountain. On Wednesday, Are was part of a record-breaking group of 274 climbers who successfully reached the summit within a single day, marking the highest number of ascents ever recorded in a 24-hour window. Two other Indian nationals, Tulasi Reddi Palpunoori and Ajay Pal Singh Dhaliwal, were also among those who reached the top on Wednesday, followed by fellow Indian climber Lakshmikanta Mandal, who successfully scaled the peak on Thursday.
