An American climber died Sunday on his way to the summit of Mount Everest, expedition organisers said, the latest death to mar the ongoing climbing season.&nbsp;

The 50-year-old mountaineer died close to the Balcony, a small platform above the 8,000-metre mark considered the mountain&#39;s &quot;death zone&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;An American climber has died around the Balcony area. We are trying to get more details,&quot; Murari Krishna Sharma of Everest Parivar Expedition, a private mountaineering company, told AFP.

The death zone is notorious for its difficult terrain and thin air, where low levels of oxygen heighten the risk of altitude sickness.

A search is also underway for an Indian climber who lost contact after reaching the summit of the world&#39;s tallest mountain Saturday.&nbsp;

His Nepali guide was found unconscious at Camp 4, just below 8,000 metres, with severe frostbite.&nbsp;

&quot;He has been out of reach since yesterday. We have sent a search and rescue team,&quot; said Thupden Sherpa of Arun Treks and Expeditions, another private climbing outfit.

It is the third death so far this climbing season.

Legendary Swiss climber Ueli Steck died late April while on an acclimatization climb, and 85-year-old Min Bahadur Sherchan perished attempting to reclaim his title as the world&#39;s oldest person to summit Everest.&nbsp;

Last year five people lost their lives on the world&rsquo;s highest peak. Another 443 successfully summited from the Nepal side, and another 197 made it to the top from the north side in Tibet.&nbsp;

Since the first summit of Everest in 1953 more than 300 people -- most of them locals - have died attempting to scale Everest and Lhotse, which share the same route until diverting at Camp 3 at 7,200 metres.&nbsp;

Despite the risks and recent disasters, Everest&#39;s allure remains undimmed, with Nepal issuing 375 permits for this year&#39;s spring climbing season.&nbsp;

Mountaineering is a major revenue-earner for the impoverished Himalayan nation but tragedies cancelled two consecutive years of climbing at Everest.

In 2014, the season was called off after an avalanche killed 16 Nepali guides.&nbsp;

A devastating earthquake triggered another avalanche at the base camp in 2015, leaving 18 dead.&nbsp;&nbsp;

(AFP)

This is the third death this climbing season

An American climber died Sunday on his way to the summit of Mount Everest, expedition organisers said, the latest death to mar the ongoing climbing season. The 50-year-old mountaineer died close to the Balcony, a small platform above the 8,000-metre mark considered the mountain's "death zone". "An American climber has died around the Balcony area. We are trying to get more details," Murari Krishna Sharma of Everest Parivar Expedition, a private mountaineering company, told AFP. The death zone is notorious for its difficult terrain and thin air, where low levels of oxygen heighten the risk of altitude sickness. A search is also underway for an Indian climber who lost contact after reaching the summit of the world's tallest mountain Saturday. His Nepali guide was found unconscious at Camp 4, just below 8,000 metres, with severe frostbite. "He has been out of reach since yesterday. We have sent a search and rescue team," said Thupden Sherpa of Arun Treks and Expeditions, another private climbing outfit. It is the third death so far this climbing season. Legendary Swiss climber Ueli Steck died late April while on an acclimatization climb, and 85-year-old Min Bahadur Sherchan perished attempting to reclaim his title as the world's oldest person to summit Everest. Last year five people lost their lives on the world’s highest peak. Another 443 successfully summited from the Nepal side, and another 197 made it to the top from the north side in Tibet. Since the first summit of Everest in 1953 more than 300 people -- most of them locals - have died attempting to scale Everest and Lhotse, which share the same route until diverting at Camp 3 at 7,200 metres. Despite the risks and recent disasters, Everest's allure remains undimmed, with Nepal issuing 375 permits for this year's spring climbing season. Mountaineering is a major revenue-earner for the impoverished Himalayan nation but tragedies cancelled two consecutive years of climbing at Everest. In 2014, the season was called off after an avalanche killed 16 Nepali guides. A devastating earthquake triggered another avalanche at the base camp in 2015, leaving 18 dead. (AFP)

American dead, Indian missing on Everest

Swiss climber Ueli Steck, one of the most feted mountaineers of his generation and famed for his speed ascents of iconic Alpine routes, has died on Everest, officials said.

&quot;Today morning, he had an accident on the Nuptse wall and died. It seems he slipped,&quot; Ang Tsering Sherpa, head of the Nepal Mountaineering Association, told AFP.

Steck, 40, was on Everest to acclimatise before attempting to summit the world&#39;s tallest peak in May, using a never before climbed route.

Everest and neighbouring peak Nuptse share a common ridge, which is where Steck apparently slipped and fell, according to a government official.

&quot;He skidded off about 1,000 metres from (Mt Nuptse) camp two early&nbsp;morning on Sunday. Other climbers ascending Everest saw him and asked for his rescue,&quot; said Dinesh Bhattarai, director general at the Department of Tourism.

The accomplished alpinist sought to pioneer new routes throughout his mountaineering career, earning the nickname &quot;the Swiss&nbsp;Machine&quot; for his solo record ascents in the Alps.

Steck hit global headlines in 2013 when he and two other Western climbers traded blows with a group of furious Nepali guides over a climbing dispute on Mount Everest.

An angry Steck swore never to return to Everest, telling a Swiss website that his &quot;trust (was) gone&quot;.

The brawl shocked the mountaineering community, causing a damaging rift between Western climbers and the often lowly-paid Nepalese guides who are essential for commercial expeditions to the crowded summit.&nbsp;

(AFP)

The Nepal government said the climber, popularly called 'the Swiss Machine', skidded off about 1,000 metres on Sunday morning

Swiss climber Ueli Steck, one of the most feted mountaineers of his generation and famed for his speed ascents of iconic Alpine routes, has died on Everest, officials said. "Today morning, he had an accident on the Nuptse wall and died. It seems he slipped," Ang Tsering Sherpa, head of the Nepal Mountaineering Association, told AFP. Steck, 40, was on Everest to acclimatise before attempting to summit the world's tallest peak in May, using a never before climbed route. Everest and neighbouring peak Nuptse share a common ridge, which is where Steck apparently slipped and fell, according to a government official. "He skidded off about 1,000 metres from (Mt Nuptse) camp two early morning on Sunday. Other climbers ascending Everest saw him and asked for his rescue," said Dinesh Bhattarai, director general at the Department of Tourism. The accomplished alpinist sought to pioneer new routes throughout his mountaineering career, earning the nickname "the Swiss Machine" for his solo record ascents in the Alps. Steck hit global headlines in 2013 when he and two other Western climbers traded blows with a group of furious Nepali guides over a climbing dispute on Mount Everest. An angry Steck swore never to return to Everest, telling a Swiss website that his "trust (was) gone". The brawl shocked the mountaineering community, causing a damaging rift between Western climbers and the often lowly-paid Nepalese guides who are essential for commercial expeditions to the crowded summit. (AFP)

Feted mountaineer Ueli Steck dies on Everest

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American dead, Indian missing on Everest

Feted mountaineer Ueli Steck dies on Everest