During his summit push on Sunday at an altitude of 8,120 meters (26,640 feet), Johnny Saliba, a 60-year-old French climber, tragically passed away on Mount Makalu, the world’s fifth-highest peak. This marks the second fatality of the spring climbing season on this mountain.
According to Bodha Raj Bhandari, the expedition organiser at Snowy Horizon Treks and Expedition, Saliba was on his way to the summit when he began showing symptoms of altitude sickness. His guide was able to bring him down, but unfortunately, he did not survive. Efforts are now being made to retrieve his body and his family has been notified.
Saliba was part of a French team on the 8,485-meter-tall (27,838-feet) mountain, and the other team members were able to safely return to the base camp. Last week, a 53-year-old Nepali guide also passed away on Makalu as he descended after reaching the summit.
Nepal has issued 59 permits for foreign climbers to attempt Makalu this year at a cost of $1,800 each. This is significantly less expensive than the $11,000 fee for climbing Mount Everest. Despite the risks, dozens of climbers have successfully reached the top after a rope-fixing team completed the summit last month.
The Himalayan country of Nepal is known for its eight of the world’s 14 highest peaks and has seen a surge in climbers during
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