How many people have died climbing Mount Everest?

MOUNT Everest is the world’s highest mountain and its severe conditions making it an extremely risky summit to climb.

Sadly, many people have died this year trying to reach the top. Here’s what we know.

How many people have died this year?

Eleven people have died in nine days on the mountain.

A total of five people died last year on Everest, according

The most recent was American John Kulish, 61, who died at South Col on the descent from the summit of Mount Everest on Monday May 27.

A British climber was a the tenth person to die on Mount Everest after falling ill in the “death zone”.

Robin Haynes Fisher, 41, was 150m from the top of the world’s highest mountain when he fainted.

Murari Sharma, of Everest Parivar Treks company – which arranged his logistics – said: “He died because of weakness after a long ascent and difficult descent.

“He was descending with his sherpa guides from the summit when he suddenly fainted.”

The climber is the tenth person to die on Everest this season – with most suffering weakness, exhaustion and delays on the crowded route to the summit.

Among the victims are four climbers from India, and one from the US, Austria and Nepal.

Who else has died this year?

Dad-of-two 

The 56-year-old, from Galway, Ireland, was attempting to scale Mount Everest from the Tibetan (North) side on Friday morning as part of a team of six along with three expert sherpas.

He died in his tent at 7,000m after turning back before reaching the summit.

His death came just over a week after dad-of-one Séamus Lawless, from Bray, Co Wicklow went missing after falling up to 500m from the Balcony area of Everest in temperatures of -27C.

How many people have died?

A total of 307 people have died on Everest since 1922.

The first fatalities were seven Nepalese climbers who were part of the 1922 Mount Everest Expedition.

They all died on June 7, 1922.

The youngest person to ever die on the mountain was 19.

His name is Pemba Sherpa who died on April 15, 2015.

One of the most well known people to die on Everest is British Mountaineer Andrew Irvine.

He died in 1924 aged 22.

Why are so many people dying on Everest this year?

A record number of climbing permits were issued by the Nepalese government for this year.

381 permits were issued, meaning about 600 people were preparing to climb the mountain.

Overcrowding has been blamed for the increase in the number of deaths, but there are also other factors at place.

Not only has overcrowding been an issue, but also the increased number of inexperienced climbers, according to the BBC.

Another reason is the recent bad weather.

Many climbers began gathering at base camp at the beginning of May, and at the same time authorities warned about the effects of the Cyclone Fani, which hit parts of India and Bangladesh, on the mountain.

The Nepalese government was forced to suspend all mountaineering for two days because of this.

This bad weather meant climbing was delayed.

Competition between operators has lead to firms cutting their fees and hiring inexperienced guides.

How high is Mount Everest and where is it?

Mount Everest is the world’s highest mountain, reaching a height of 29,029ft at the top of the Peak XV.

It lies among a stretch of peaks which span the border between Nepal and Tibet, in the Mahalangur Himal.

Above 26,000ft, climbers spend a lot of time in the section known as the Death Zone death zone, facing significant challenges to survival.

Temperatures can dip to very low levels, resulting in frostbite of any body part exposed to the air.