US climber dies while trekking Mount Everest, making it season’s fourth fatality

A 69-year-old American died while trekking Nepal’s Himalayan mountains, making it the fourth fatality on the world's highest peak this climbing season.

Jonathan Sugarman died during his acclimatisation rotation at around 6,400m on Monday, Mohan Kafle, manager of the expedition organiser Beyul Adventure, told the Himalayan Times newspaper.

According to reports, the Seattle-based medical doctor suddenly felt unwell at Camp II and breathed his last. The exact cause of his death is unclear.

He was a part of the expedition handled by International Mountain Guides (IMG), a Washington-based company. Beyul Adventure locally manages the IMG expedition.

The US Embassy in Nepal confirmed the death of Sugarman in a statement on Tuesday but did not offer additional details.

"Our deepest sympathies go out to his family and friends," it said. "The Embassy is in contact with Dr Sugarman’s family and with local authorities."

IMG’s owner Eric Simonson, too, in a statement declined to offer additional details.

"We can confirm that this event was not the result of a climbing accident or route condition that would be of potential impact or safety concern to any other teams on the mountain," Simonson said in a statement on the company's website.

This is not the first time he tried to scale the Everest. Last year, Sugarman reached Camp 3 on Everest before abandoning a climb, according to AFP news agency.

Mount Everest, a peak in the Himalayan mountain range, is the highest point on Earth at nearly 30,000 feet above sea level.

This year, Nepal has issued 466 permits to foreign climbers. The climbing season runs until early June.

This is the fourth death on the Everest this season. Last year, three climbers died in an avalanche in the Khumbu icefall on May 12.

On average, around five climbers die every year on the world's highest peak, reports AFP news agency.

But in 2019, 11 people died, with four of the deaths blamed on overcrowding.

Though local guides attribute lack of preparation for the growing number of deaths, experts have also noted the possibility of climate change exacerbating the risks, as many climbers have noted widening crevasses, running water on previously snowy slopes and more glacial lake formation.

(With inputs from agencies)

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