The 2025 spring climbing season on Mount Everest has witnessed its first fatalities, as two climbers — one from India and the other from the Philippines — lost their lives this week in separate incidents on the world’s highest peak, officials confirmed on Friday.
The victims were part of an international expedition team managed by Snowy Horizon Treks and Expedition, a Nepal-based mountaineering firm.
Subrata Ghosh, a 45-year-old mountaineer from India, reportedly died on Thursday just below the infamous Hillary Step — a near-vertical rock face located above 8,790 meters in the “death zone” of Mount Everest.
“He refused to descend from below the Hillary Step after summiting,” said Bodhraj Bhandari, the managing director of the expedition company. “Unfortunately, he died there. Efforts are underway to bring his body back to base camp.”
The exact cause of Ghosh’s death is yet to be determined and will be confirmed only after a post-mortem examination. The Hillary Step, a perilous section on the southeast ridge, lies between the South Col and the summit at 8,849 metres (29,032 feet) — an area where oxygen levels are dangerously low.
Filipino Climber Dies at South Col Camp
The second casualty, Philipp II Santiago, 45, from the Philippines, died late on Wednesday at the South Col, also situated in the high-altitude death zone, while attempting the ascent.
According to Himal Gautam, a senior official from Nepal’s Department of Tourism, Santiago collapsed from exhaustion upon reaching the fourth high camp and died while resting inside his tent.
ALSO READ: Defence budget likely to get Rs 50,000 crore mid-year push; direct fallout of Operation Sindoor, say sources
Both climbers were part of the same expedition group and had secured permits for this year’s spring summit push.
2025 Everest Season Sees Early Summit Successes
Nepal has issued 459 climbing permits for Mount Everest for the March–May window — traditionally the most active period for expeditions due to relatively favorable weather conditions. Already, around 100 climbers and Sherpa guides have successfully summited this week.
Mount Everest, also known as Sagarmatha in Nepal and Chomolungma in Tibet, has long been a symbol of human endurance and ambition. However, it remains an extremely dangerous endeavor. According to data from the Himalayan Database, at least 345 climbers have died on Everest in over a century of climbing history.
Nepal’s Mountaineering Economy and Risks
Trekking and mountaineering are key pillars of Nepal’s tourism economy, providing livelihoods to thousands of locals, especially in remote mountainous regions. However, the risks — including altitude sickness, avalanches, and exhaustion — continue to claim lives every climbing season.
The deaths of Ghosh and Santiago are a grim reminder of the dangers associated with high-altitude mountaineering, even as technological advances and experienced support teams have made the summit more accessible to climbers worldwide.
