Indian and Filipino Climbers Become First Fatalities of 2025 Everest Season

KATHMANDU — The 2025 Everest climbing season has already claimed its first lives. An Indian climber and a mountaineer from the Philippines tragically died while attempting to scale the world’s highest peak, officials confirmed on May 16.

Subrata Ghosh, 45, from India, passed away on May 15 just below the notorious Hillary Step, a treacherous section close to the summit at 8,849 meters. Ghosh reportedly refused to descend from this dangerous spot, according to Bodhraj Bhandari, head of Nepal’s Snowy Horizon Treks and Expeditions, the company organizing the international expedition.

The Hillary Step lies within Everest’s infamous “death zone” — the extreme altitude area above 8,000 meters where oxygen levels are too low to sustain human life for long. Rescue efforts are underway to bring Ghosh’s body down to base camp, and a post-mortem will determine the exact cause of death.

Meanwhile, Philipp Santiago II, 45, from the Philippines, died on May 14 while resting at the South Col during his ascent. Tourism official Himal Gautam said Santiago was exhausted after reaching the fourth high camp and passed away inside his tent.

Both Ghosh and Santiago were part of the same expedition led by Bhandari.

This year, Nepal issued 459 permits for Everest climbers, and close to 100 climbers and their guides have already reached the summit during this season, which runs from March through May.

For Nepal, mountaineering tourism remains a vital source of income and employment, despite the risks involved.

Since the early days of Everest expeditions over a century ago, more than 345 climbers have lost their lives on the mountain, according to Himalayan climbing records.