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| Australian woman and Dutch man die on Everest as teenager reaches summit | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A 34-year-old Australian academic and a Dutch man have died of altitude sickness climbing Mount Everest. Another Australian, Queensland teenager Alyssa Azar, has reached the summit, making her the youngest Australian to conquer the world’s highest mountain. | |
| The woman, identified as Dr Maria Strydom, a finance lecturer at Monash University and experienced climber, had been travelling in Nepal with her husband, Rob. | |
| She fell ill on Saturday afternoon, moving between camps on her descent from the summit, according to Seven Summit Treks board director Pasang Phurba Sherpa. | |
| Related: First climbers reach Everest summit after two years of disasters | Related: First climbers reach Everest summit after two years of disasters |
| “After reaching the summit yesterday she said she was feeling very weak and suffering from a loss of energy ... signs of altitude sickness,” Sherpa said. | “After reaching the summit yesterday she said she was feeling very weak and suffering from a loss of energy ... signs of altitude sickness,” Sherpa said. |
| Dutch mountaineer Eric Arnold died on Friday. Sherpa said the climbers had both died from altitude sickness. “A Dutchman died yesterday and an Australian died today,” he said. | Dutch mountaineer Eric Arnold died on Friday. Sherpa said the climbers had both died from altitude sickness. “A Dutchman died yesterday and an Australian died today,” he said. |
| The bodies were at an elevation of 8,000 metres and it would be a couple of days before they could airlift them to Kathmandu and hand them over to relatives, who had been informed, he said. | The bodies were at an elevation of 8,000 metres and it would be a couple of days before they could airlift them to Kathmandu and hand them over to relatives, who had been informed, he said. |
| They are the first fatalities on the world’s highest peak since expeditions resumed this year. Everest expeditions in 2014 were cancelled after 16 sherpas died in an icefall avalanche. | They are the first fatalities on the world’s highest peak since expeditions resumed this year. Everest expeditions in 2014 were cancelled after 16 sherpas died in an icefall avalanche. |
| In 2015, another avalanche triggered by a 7.8-magnitude quake, killed 19 mountaineers at Everest Base Camp, prompting the cancellation of all trips. | In 2015, another avalanche triggered by a 7.8-magnitude quake, killed 19 mountaineers at Everest Base Camp, prompting the cancellation of all trips. |
| Related: Sherpa: Norbu Tenzing on the Everest 'circus' and the inevitability of another disaster | Related: Sherpa: Norbu Tenzing on the Everest 'circus' and the inevitability of another disaster |
| MeanwhileAzar reached the summit on Saturday night. | MeanwhileAzar reached the summit on Saturday night. |
| “We can confirm that Alyssa has successfully summited Mount Everest. This has been a goal she has been determined to achieve for several years,” a spokesperson said on her Facebook page. | “We can confirm that Alyssa has successfully summited Mount Everest. This has been a goal she has been determined to achieve for several years,” a spokesperson said on her Facebook page. |
| As the deaths reveal, the journey is not over for her yet. “The descent off the mountain is equally as challenging, it will be a couple of days before she is back into base camp,” the spokesperson said. | As the deaths reveal, the journey is not over for her yet. “The descent off the mountain is equally as challenging, it will be a couple of days before she is back into base camp,” the spokesperson said. |
| Earlier this week, clear weather helped climbers reach the summit for the first time in three years after devastating avalanches derailed the 2014 and 2015 campaigns. | Earlier this week, clear weather helped climbers reach the summit for the first time in three years after devastating avalanches derailed the 2014 and 2015 campaigns. |
| “It’s been many years in the making and a lot of work, but it all comes down to this one week,” Alyssa’s father and fellow adventurer Glenn Azar said this week. | “It’s been many years in the making and a lot of work, but it all comes down to this one week,” Alyssa’s father and fellow adventurer Glenn Azar said this week. |