Third climber dies in Nepal this year

Kathmandu – An Indian climber has died in Nepal near the summit of the world’s third-highest peak, expedition organisers said yesterday, the third fatality of this year’s busy Himalayan spring climbing season.

Narayanan Iyer, 52, died on Thursday at an altitude of 8 200m, near the top of

Mount Kanchenjunga.

“He was slower than others and we had two guides assist him. He was very exhausted and collapsed,” Nivesh Karki of expedition company Pioneer Adventure said.

Karki said that Iyer’s family had been informed and the company is working out details for the recovery of his body. Nepal has issued 68 permits to foreign climbers for the 8 586m Kanchenjunga this season and several made it to the summit on Thursday.

Iyer is the third climber to die in Nepal this year.