*** Two foreign climbers die on Everest | THE DAILY TRIBUNE | KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN

Two foreign climbers die on Everest

AFP | London

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Two climbers from the United States and Switzerland have died on Mount Everest, the first fatalities of this year’s season, expedition organisers in Nepal said yesterday. On average around five climbers die every year on the world’s highest peak. But in recent seasons, Everest has seen a surge in the number of climbers, leading to overcrowding that has been blamed for multiple deaths. “Two climbers passed away on Wednesday,” Mingma Sherpa of Seven Summit Treks told AFP.

Swiss climber Abdul Waraich, 40, died near the summit after reaching the top and suffering exhaustion, said Chhang Dawa Sherpa from the same organisation.

“We sent two additional Sherpas with oxygen and foods, unfortunately, Sherpas couldn’t save him,” he said on Instagram. American Puwei Liu, 55, reached the Hillary Step but was helped back down after he suffered snow blindness and exhaustion, organisers said. He was able to reach Camp 4, “before he suddenly passed away” late Wednesday, Chhang Dawa Sherpa said.