Tragedy on Everest: Indian Climber Subrata Ghosh Dies After Refusing to Descend from Near Summit
In a heartbreaking turn during this year’s Mount Everest climbing season, Indian mountaineer Subrata Ghosh, 45, lost his life just below the Hillary Step after reaching the summit of the world’s highest peak. Ghosh reportedly refused to descend from the dangerous zone near the summit, located at 8,849 metres (29,032 feet), a stretch ominously known as the “death zone” due to its extreme altitude and lack of oxygen.
“He refused to descend from below the Hillary Step,” said Bodhraj Bhandari of Snowy Horizon Treks and Expedition, the company that organized the international expedition. The precise cause of Ghosh’s death is not yet known and will be confirmed after a post-mortem examination. Efforts are currently underway to recover his body from the mountain.
In another tragic incident, Philipp II Santiago, also 45, from the Philippines, died a day earlier at the South Col while ascending. He reportedly became exhausted upon reaching the final high camp and passed away while resting in his tent.
Both climbers were part of the same international expedition. These are the first fatalities of the 2025 spring climbing season, which runs from March to May. So far, Nepal has issued 459 permits to climb Everest, and nearly 100 climbers have already reached the summit this week.
Mountaineering remains a vital source of income and employment in Nepal, a country where tourism plays a crucial role. However, Everest continues to demand a heavy price from those who dare to conquer its peak — with at least 345 known deaths over the past century, according to the Himalayan Database.
News Source : Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
