Two Indian climbers died while descending from Mount Everest after successfully reaching the summit, according to Nepal expedition officials.
May 22, 2026: Two Indian mountaineers have died while descending from Mount Everest after successfully summiting the world’s highest peak, officials confirmed on Friday. The climbers were identified as Arun Kumar Tiwari and Sandeep Are. According to expedition authorities, both climbers became severely exhausted during their descent and could not be rescued despite repeated efforts by their guides.
Rishi Bhandari said Are is believed to have reached the summit on Wednesday, while Tiwari reportedly summited on Thursday evening around 5.30 pm. Officials stated that the climbing guides worked extensively to save them, but the harsh conditions and exhaustion proved fatal. Are reportedly died on Thursday, while the exact time of Tiwari’s death remains unclear.
The tragedy came shortly after Everest witnessed a record number of ascents in a single day. On Wednesday, 274 climbers reportedly reached the 8,848.86-metre summit, including Indian climbers Tulasi Reddi Palpunoori and Ajay Pal Singh Dhaliwal alongside Are. Another Indian climber, Lakshmikanta Mandal, successfully summited Everest on Thursday.