Tragic Loss on Lhotse: Indian and Romanian Climbers Perish in Nepal

The spring expedition season in Nepal continues to claim lives, with an Indian and a Romanian climber becoming the latest casualties, confirmed by an official source. The climbers met their tragic end on Mount Lhotse, according to expedition organizers and news agency ANI.

Mohan Lamsal of Makalu Adventure confirmed that Indian national Rakesh Bishnoi, 39, died on Sunday after descending from the summit of the 8,516-meter Mount Lhotse. Lamsal stated that Bishnoi, who had previously attempted to conquer Mount Everest, took his final breath at Yellow Band near Camp IV after returning from the summit.

In another incident, Romanian climber Barna Zsolt Vago, 48, died while attempting to summit the same mountain. Vago, an experienced mountaineer and videographer, was last seen a few hundred meters below the summit of Lhotse Couloir, as confirmed by Liladhar Awasthi from Nepal's Department of Tourism to ANI.

Including recent deaths on Lhotse, the total fatalities across Nepal's major peaks this spring have risen to nine. The fatalities include two Indian nationals, one French, one American, and one Austrian, with efforts ongoing to recover the bodies from high altitudes amidst challenging conditions.

Lhotse, the world's fourth-highest peak and technically challenging, shares part of its climbing route with Mount Everest. During the climbing season from March to May, Nepal witnesses hundreds of aspirants attempting to conquer its daunting peaks. Such expeditions often result in fatalities due to extreme altitude, unpredictable weather, and sheer physical exhaustion, as reported by ANI.

(With inputs from agencies.)