Victorian man dies after Everest climb

An Australian man has reportedly died after falling ill near Mt Everest's base camp in Nepal.

International trekkers at the Mt Everest base camp

A Newcastle man has reportedly in Nepal Source: AAP

Australian man, Matthew Johns, has died of apparent altitude sickness near the Mt Everest base camp in Nepal.

The 51-year-old was travelling in a group of 18 people heading for Khumjung when he became sick, a spokesman from Eastern Region Police in Nepal says.

"He was having problems due to the altitude, that's why he didn't go on," police told AAP.

He decided stay behind his group in a hotel, where he was later found dead.

"Early in the morning he was found dead in his room," the police told AAP.

Mr Johns' guide, who had stayed with him, accompanied his body when he was taken to Kathmandu, Nepal's capital, by helicopter on Saturday for an autopsy.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it was providing consular advice over the Australian man's death.

"Due to our privacy obligations, we are unable to provide further information," DFAT said.

The Herald Sun reported Mr Johns was from Melbourne, and that he was with three other Victorians and fell sick, more than five kilometres above sea level, on Thursday night.

Fairfax Media reports the father-of-two worked for a multinational tech company in Melbourne.

Climbers typically rest at the base camp for several days to acclimatise before tackling the mountain, but the man reportedly wasn't planning to go further.


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Source: AAP


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