Indian climber dies; Everest death toll 8 this season

Mumbai: A 59-year-old Indian mountaineer died in Lukla, Nepal, on Thursday morning.

“Suzanne L Jesus died during the treatment at a Lukla-based hospital at 5.13am on Thursday. A native of Silvassa, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Susanne had been ill for over six days at the Everest base camp,” an official said.

“She was reluctant to leave the base camp as she wanted to set a world record because she was on a pacemaker. She was compelled and airlifted to Lukla on Wednesday evening,” the official said, adding she wanted to do Everest at any cost.

Suzanne was Asia’s first person on pacemaker and oldest Indian attempting Everest

Reportedly, Suzanne was climbing with a pacemaker. She could not cross the base camp. “She took over 6 hours to reach the Crompton point,” the official said.

Her colleague and yoga instructor in Silvassa, Swarupa Shah, said, “Suzanne was a government teacher at Silvassa and promoted as the head of the central primary school. She did the Everest Base Camp trek in May last year. She was the Asia’s first person on pacemaker and oldest Indian attempting Everest.”

Suzanne’s May 11 post onzFacebook said, “I have paid for 2 sherpas to make my way towards Everest easier...but rather unfortunately...they think that gives them the power to torture me with real time manhandling and misadventures so that I discontinue my mission. Sick of some people around. Their minds are sicker than their bodies. (And there are kind people around too.) (sic).”

Social media was abuzz with condolence messages from her near and dear ones.

8 fatalities at Everest so far

Notably, the 2023 spring season has witnessed 8 fatalities at Everest so far. Suzanne is the 7th. A Chinese climber died while ascending on Thursday near the south summit. Officials were trying to identify the mountaineer. Earlier, 4 Sherpa climbers, an American doctor and a Moldova mountaineer died.

Meanwhile, three Sherpas rescued Indian climber Piyali Basak from above 7,800m on Makalu on Thursday.