Mount Everest Tragedy: Indian Climber Among Eight Fatalities Amid Overcrowding Concerns

The eighth fatality on Mount Everest this year has sadly been an Indian climber, which has sparked worries about congestion on the highest point in the globe.

Nepal’s tourism department said that 46-year-old Banshi Lal died in a Kathmandu hospital last week after being pulled off the mountain.

While the specific reason of Lal’s death is yet unknown, his expedition agency noted symptoms of severe altitude sickness. Tuesday saw the confirmation of Lal’s passing from Rakesh Gurung, chief of mountaineering at Nepal’s tourism department. He was taken down the mountain by airlift on May 21.

Five people have died on Everest this climbing season; three more are missing and thought to be dead. Though the season is almost over, the death toll is less than that of previous year, which took 18 lives.

Concerns about the viability and safety of Everest trips have been rekindled by the latest death, especially after pictures and videos of massive queues of climbers have emerged. After a British climber Daniel Paterson and his Nepali Sherpa Pastenji were hit by falling ice while descending, Indian mountaineer Rajan Dwivedi posted a video showing a “traffic jam” of climbers approaching the peak.

Dwivedi emphasized the difficulties climbers encountering the congested path by saying, “Mt. Everest is not to be taken lightly.” In the video, a long line of climbers waits patiently to descend as others, like Dwivedi, wait to ascend.

Everest overcrowding has occurred before, which highlights persistent worries about sustainability and safety procedures among the climbing community.