Explained: Why are so many people dying while climbing Everest
The world's highest mountain, Mount Everest, has witnessed its eighth fatality this year with the death of Indian climber Banshi Lal. The 46-year-old was rescued from the mountain last week and hospitalized for treatment but unfortunately succumbed to his condition. Tourism department official Rakesh Gurung has confirmed the deaths. This year's death toll also includes a British climber and guide presumed dead. Let's understand what makes Everest so risky? Is overcrowding to blame?
The perilous journey to Everest's peak
Mount Everest, towering at 8,849meters above sea level, has been conquered over 6,600 times since Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary first reached its peak 71 years ago. Despite the treacherous conditions including thick clouds, freezing winds up to 160km per hour, life-threatening snowstorms, and avalanches, hundreds of people attempt the climb each year. Since records began in 1922, at least 322 people have died on Mount Everest, according to The Himalayan Database.
The deadly risks of high-altitude climbing
The average death rate has risen to 6.4 per year since the turn of the century. The harsh conditions on Everest can lead to Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), exhaustion, non-AMS illnesses, and exposure to the elements which frequently result in fatalities. Climbers are also at risk of high-altitude pulmonary edema and high-altitude cerebral edema. Notably, the year 2023 marked the worst ever for deaths on Everest with a record high of 18 fatalities.
Climate change and overcrowding: Everest's growing challenges
Yuba Raj Khatiwada, director of Nepal's tourism department, attributed this spike in fatalities to climate change, saying, "The main cause is the changing in the weather... Climate change is having a big impact in the mountains." Despite criticism over issuing a record high 479 permits last year, Khatiwada denied overcrowding was to blame.
The debate over novice climbers on Everest
Ang Norbu Sherpa, president of the Nepal National Mountain Guide Association, insisted that too many permits were being issued leading to overcrowding. Sherpa said, "The climbing pattern has changed... now it is a lot of novice climbers who want to get to the summit of Everest." This sentiment was echoed by professional mountain guide Allan Cohrs who warned that Everest is no place for novices. Inexperienced climbers often push themselves too hard leading to dangerous situations, reports said.
