Another Indian mountaineer dies during Mount Everest climbing season; video captures ‘traffic jam’ of climbers | Watch
PTC Web Desk: The tragic death of Indian mountaineer Banshi Lal (46 ) has raised concerns over the safety and overcrowding issues on Mount Everest. Banshi Lal was rescued from the mountain last week. However, he died in a Kathmandu hospital, as confirmed by Nepal’s tourism department.
Although the exact cause of his death remains unclear, his expedition agency indicated that he showed signs of acute mountain sickness (AMS). Rakesh Gurung, the chief of mountaineering at Nepal’s tourism department, confirmed Lal’s death on Tuesday. Lal had been airlifted from Mount Everest on May 21.
With his death, the death toll for this year’s Everest climbing season has reached eight. Five climbers have died, while three others are missing and presumed dead. This season’s death toll is, however, lower compared to the previous year when 18 climbers perished on the world’s highest peak.
The issue of overcrowding on Mount Everest has come into sharp focus once again. Recent photos and videos showing long queues of climbers have sparked a debate within the mountaineering community about the safety and sustainability of climbing Everest under such conditions.
Indian mountaineer Rajan Dwivedi recently shared a video that vividly captures the “traffic jam” of climbers during their ascent to the summit. This video, which has stirred significant discussion, was taken shortly after British climber Daniel Paterson and his Nepali Sherpa, Pastenji, were struck by falling ice while descending from the peak, exacerbating the crowding situation.
The video shows a long line of climbers perched precariously on a narrow strip of ice, waiting to move upward. Such delays can be perilous for climbers as prolonged exposure to the harsh conditions depletes their oxygen levels and increases their risk of sickness and exhaustion.