Two foreign climbers die on Mt. Ama Dablam this autumn season – The Himalayan Times – Nepal’s No.1 English Daily Newspaper

KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 27

Two foreign climbers have died in separate incidents on Mt. Ama Dablam (6,814m) in Nepal’s Solukhumbu district during the ongoing autumn climbing season, officials and expedition organizers confirmed.

The latest fatality occurred on October 26 when South Korean climber Hong Khy Park, 70, died of cardiac arrest while ascending between Camp I and Camp II. According to J Vill Nepal Treks, Park collapsed around 9:00 a.m. local time as he was heading toward the high camp for a summit attempt.

Expedition officials said efforts are underway to bring his body back to Kathmandu.

Just two days earlier, French climber Hugo Lucio Colonia Lazaro, 66, died while undergoing treatment at Kathmandu’s HAMS Hospital after being rescued from the mountain. Lazaro had successfully reached the summit of Ama Dablam at around 6:00 a.m. on October 23, but sustained serious injuries while descending from Camp III.

According to Himalaya Vision Treks, the expedition company handling his climb, Lazaro was struck by a falling block of ice below Camp III. He was airlifted to Kathmandu for emergency medical attention, but doctors confirmed he succumbed to his injuries in the early hours of October 24.

In a subsequent update to the Department of Tourism, the company reported that Lazaro had also shown symptoms of high-altitude sickness and snow blindness while descending. His family, arriving from Switzerland, has been coordinating with Nepali authorities for the repatriation of his body.

The Department of Tourism has confirmed both fatalities, adding that coordination is ongoing with the respective expedition agencies for necessary procedures.

Ama Dablam, located in the Khumbu region and often called the “Matterhorn of the Himalayas” for its steep ridges and soaring peak, is considered one of Nepal’s most technically challenging mountains.

Over 340 climbers have received climbing permits for Ama Dablam this autumn, according to the Department of Tourism.