Three climbers have died on Mount Everest, including a 54-year-old Australian man, and another is missing after a busy and tragic weekend on the world's highest mountain, officials and expedition organisers say.
Experienced climber Francesco Enrico Marchetti, from Queensland, had successfully ascended the 8,850 metre peak and was making his way to a lower camp when he died on Sunday morning, the Himalayan Times reported.
Two other climbers also lost their lives on the famed mountain on Sunday - American man Roland Yearwood, 50, who died near the summit, and Slovak climber Vladimir Strba, also 50, whose body has been brought to the South Col camp, a tourism ministry official said.
Indian climber Ravi Kumar remains missing after becoming sick as he descended from the summit on Saturday and did not make it to nearest camp, though his accompanying Nepalese Sherpa guide did reach camp, said Thupden Sherpa of Arun Treks and Expedition.
The guide was sick but had managed to drag himself to the camp at South Col, at 8,000 metres, said Sherpa, adding that the guide had frostbite and was receiving oxygen.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
Kumar and his guide reached the summit at about 1:30pm on Saturday, which is considered late, and not many climbers were around when they were returning back, Sherpa said.
Three Sherpa rescuers have been flown by helicopter to Camp 2, from where they were climbing up the mountain to help search for Kumar.
Five climbers have now died on Everest during this current spring climbing season, which runs from March to the end of May. One person remains missing.
More climbers are expected to attempt to reach the summit on Monday.
This year the Nepalese Tourism Department issued a record 371 Everest climbing permits. The increased number of climbers this year is likely because many were unable to climb in 2014 and 2015, when deadly avalanches disrupted the climbing seasons.
Climbers who had permits for the 2014 season were allowed to receive a free replacement permit until 2019, while climbers with 2015 permits were given only until this year. The permit normally cost $US11,000 ($A14,776).
