Two Indians die on Everest: Why returning from the summit is dangerous than the climb

Arun Kumar Tiwari and Sandeep Are died while descending Everest after reaching the summit on successive days. Their deaths underline why the return through the death zone is often the mountain's most dangerous phase.

In Short

• Arun Kumar Tiwari summited on Thursday evening, while Sandeep Are did earlier
• Above 8,000 metres, oxygen levels drop to a third of sea level
• Low oxygen, fatigue and delays can trigger collapse or fatal altitude illness

Two Indian mountaineers died while descending from Mount Everest after successfully reaching the summit, once again highlighting the brutal truth of the world’s tallest mountain: getting to the top is only half the battle.

The climbers were identified as Arun Kumar Tiwari and Sandeep Are. According to Nepal expedition officials, Are summited Everest on Wednesday, while Tiwari reached the 8,849-metre peak on Thursday evening around 5:30 pm.

Both died during the descent, the most dangerous phase of an Everest expedition.

WHAT MAKES RETURNING FROM MOUNT EVEREST SO DANGEROUS?

For decades, veteran climbers have repeated a chilling phrase: “The summit is optional. Returning alive is mandatory.”

On Everest, however, the descent is often deadlier than the climb itself.

By the time climbers stand atop the summit, most are physically broken. The final push from Camp IV at the South Col usually begins around midnight and can take 10 to 15 exhausting hours through the “death zone,” the region above 8,000 metres where oxygen levels are only a third of those at sea level.

Every step burns massive energy reserves while the brain and muscles slowly starve of oxygen. But reaching the top is only the midpoint of the journey.

Descending Everest requires climbers to retrace the same treacherous route while battling extreme fatigue, dehydration, frostbite risk and worsening weather. Many climbers spend too much time on the summit, delaying their descent into the afternoon when winds intensify, and visibility can collapse rapidly.

HOW THE HUMAN BODY BEGINS SHUTTING DOWN POST SUMMIT

The human body also begins shutting down after prolonged exposure to the death zone.

Judgment becomes impaired, reaction times slow, and even simple tasks such as clipping ropes, adjusting oxygen masks or securing crampons become dangerously difficult.

One of the biggest risks is oxygen depletion. Most climbers rely on supplemental oxygen cylinders during the summit push. If oxygen runs low or equipment malfunctions during descent, the situation can turn fatal within minutes.

Exhausted climbers may become disoriented, collapse or develop High-Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE), a deadly swelling of the brain, or High-Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE), where fluid fills the lungs.

Descending is also mechanically harder than many imagine. Climbers must carefully navigate steep ice walls, fixed ropes and narrow ridges like the Hillary Step while their legs are trembling from exhaustion. A single slip can be catastrophic.

Traffic jams near the summit worsen the danger further. During narrow weather windows, hundreds of climbers attempt the summit simultaneously, creating long queues in freezing temperatures. Delays force climbers to spend more time in the death zone, consuming precious oxygen and energy.

TREACHEROUS ROUTE BACK

The route back to Everest Base Camp is itself punishing.

After descending from the summit to Camp IV, climbers still need to pass through the Lhotse Face, Khumbu Icefall and multiple high camps over several days. Avalanches, collapsing ice towers and hidden crevasses remain constant threats even after the summit is behind them.

Historically, a large proportion of Everest deaths occur during descent. Many climbers die within sight of safety because their bodies are simply too depleted to continue.

The deaths of Tiwari and Are are another grim reminder that on Everest, survival depends not on reaching the top, but on having enough strength left to come back down.

- Ends