Body of Australian climber remains on Everest

The body of Australian climber Marise Strydom remains on Mount Everest as her family try to recover the 34-year-old from the 8000-metre mark.

Maria Strydom, lwho died on Mount Everest, with husband Robert Gropel. Source: AAP

The family of Australian climber Marise Strydom are desperately trying to recover her body, which remains at the 8000-metre mark on Mount Everest.

The Monash University lecturer died on the world's highest mountain over the weekend while her husband, Robert Gropel, a Melbourne vet, reportedly suffered high altitude pulmonary oedema.

Expedition leader Arnold Coster Expeditions has broken its silence since the incident with a report detailing what happened to the 34-year-old and another climber in the group, who also died.

The company said other people posted news about Dr Strydom's death before they had a chance to contact the family, while the team had been busy recovering her husband Dr Gropel.

"At the moment we are assembling a rescue team to try to retrieve the bodies," the company said in a statement on Monday afternoon.

Dr Strydom's sister Aletta Newman said on Monday morning the family still hadn't heard from expedition organisers Seven Summit Treks, despite AAP passing on the family's contact details when the company claimed not to have them.

Getting her sister's body down was "absolutely what we want", she told AAP.

The 34-year-old died from altitude sickness while descending the mountain.

Meanwhile, Dr Gropel's condition has improved as he recovers at a lower camp, she said.

"We are really so glad that it seems that he'll make it," Ms Newman said from Brisbane.

"He's probably the person who can give us the most answers in terms of what really happened because he was there."

Dr Gropel's parents, Heinz and Patricia, flew out of Australia around midnight to reach Nepal where they hope to help their son retrieve his wife's body.

They also hope to fly their son to Kathmandu by helicopter.

"He is able to speak but obviously he's absolutely distraught - he's absolutely broken," Ms Newman said.

"He's very determined not to leave Nepal without his wife."

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said consular assistance is being provided to both families.

"It is a difficult and challenging climb and many people have died," Ms Bishop told reporters in Brisbane on Monday.

"We certainly extend our condolences to the family and loved ones of Marisa."

Ms Bishop said the Australian government carried warnings about the risks of travelling overseas on its Smart Traveller website.

"Undertaking adventures like climbing Mt Everest has additional risks," she said.

She said Queensland woman Alyssa Azar's successful summit of Mt Everest on the same day would be bittersweet, in light of Dr Strydom's death.

Dr Strydom and Dr Gropel, both experienced climbers, were vegans determined to conquer the highest mountains on each continent.

AP has reported an Indian climber has become the third person to die in recent days while attempting to scale the world's tallest peak, according to an expedition organiser.

Wangchu Sherpa of the Trekking Camp Nepal agency in Kathmandu said on Monday that Subhash Paul died overnight as he was being helped down the mountain by Sherpa guides.

Two other Indian members of Mr Paul's team have been missing since Saturday.

Dozens of other climbers have developed frostbite or become sick near the summit in recent days.