A British climber and a Nepali guide have been missing since Tuesday after they slipped and fell near the South Summit in the mountain’s “death zone” where oxygen is very sparse, Nepal tourism officials said.
The two climbers, part of a group of 15 who reached the summit, were identified as Daniel Paul Paterson and Pastenji Sherpa. Though they reached the top of the 29,032ft peak, during their descent near the Hillary Step at roughly 8,800 meters, they were caught in a sudden cornice fall.
Adventure company 8K Expeditions said that rescuers were unable to locate the pair, and the likelihood of finding them alive was not possible, BBC reported. The company, which orchestrated the expedition, reported that the collapse occurred on Hillary Step, a vertical rock face near the summit, and that the men “fell down towards the Tibet side through a very vertical steep.”
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“On the early morning of May 21, 2024, at around 4:40 AM, climbers Mr. Daniel Paul Paterson and Mr. Pastenji Sherpa heroically reached the summit of Mount Everest. Tragically, during their descent near the Hillary Step at approximately 8800 meters, they were caught in a sudden cornice fall, which impact the group of climbers. Despite exhaustive search efforts, we regret to confirm that Daniel and Pastenji were unable to be recovered from the following incident,” Instagram handle “lakpa_mountaineering” said in a post.
“Pastenji Sherpa (2001–2024) was a dedicated climber from his youth, with impressive climbs under his belt including twice on Mt. Everest, K2, Amadablam, and several other 6000m peaks. His warm spirit, kindness, and outstanding expertise made him one of the premier guides at 8K Expeditions,” the mountaineering group added. “Daniel Paul Paterson (1984–2024) was equally committed to climbing, known for his robust fitness, uplifting positivity, and strong determination. He had successfully summited Island Peak and Amadablam previously and tackled Everest with intense preparation and determination.”
This latest incident comes as a video emerged on social media showing a cornice collapse on Mount Everest. The clip reignited concerns about overcrowding at the world’s highest summit. The video, which comes less than a week after two Mongolian climbers died on Everest, shows the challenges experienced by the climbers he led during their descent from Everest.
(With agency inputs)
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