An Indian climber has died near the summit of Nepal’s Mount Kanchenjunga, organizers said.
Narayanan Iyer, 52, breathed his last at an altitude of 8,200 meters on the way to the peak’s summit on Thursday evening, according to Nivesh Karki of Pioneer Adventure.
Iyer, a resident of Maharashtra, had refused his guide’s repeated calls to descend despite questions over his health condition to climb the world’s third highest peak, Karki said.
“He was asked not to move above 8,000 meters. However, he insisted on climbing on. Later, he collapsed at 8200m,” said Karki, managing director of Pioneer Adventures, adding, “We have already informed the family member about the casualty.” Karki said that the climbing guides were working to retrieve his mortal remains.
This is the first casualty of the spring season on Kanchenjunga, and the third in Nepal’s eight-thousander peaks. Earlier, Greek climber Antonios Sykaris died on Mount Dhaulagiri, while climbing guide Nima Tenji Sherpa breathed his last in Everest’s Khumbu icefall.
Iyer’s death comes on the day Kanchenjunga saw successful ascents by more than two dozen climbers.
A total of 68 climbers have obtained climbing permits for Kanchenjunga, the second highest number of permits after Mount Everest, according to the Department of Tourism.
