A 59-year-old Indian climber, Suzanne Leopoldina Jesus, who aimed to set a new world record as Asia’s first woman with a pacemaker to scale Mount Everest, has died at the base camp of the world’s highest peak in Nepal. Suzanne was admitted to a hospital in the town of Lukla after experiencing difficulties during acclimatization exercises at the base camp and passed away on Thursday. The Tourism Department of Nepal confirmed her death.
Due to her difficulties during the acclimatization exercise and slow climbing speed, Suzanne was advised to abandon her attempt to summit Mount Everest. However, she refused, insisting on climbing the 8,848.86-meter peak as she had already paid for the climbing permit. Suzanne had reached an altitude of 5,800 meters, just above the base camp, before being forcibly airlifted to Lukla and hospitalized for treatment.
The expedition organizer, Dendi Sherpa, stated that they had repeatedly advised Suzanne to abandon the climb but she remained committed to reaching the summit. It was evident during the acclimatization exercise that she was not physically qualified to continue ascending the mountain. Sherpa wrote a letter to the Department of Tourism highlighting Suzanne’s condition and her inability to climb Mount Everest efficiently.
Sherpa explained that Suzanne took significantly longer than average to cover a distance of 250 meters, taking her five hours on the first attempt, six hours on the second, and 12 hours on the third. This duration is much longer compared to the usual 15 to 20 minutes for climbers to cover the same distance. Suzanne also faced throat difficulties and had trouble swallowing food.
Suzanne’s body was flown to Kathmandu and taken to the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital for a postmortem examination. Her family members were informed and expected to arrive in Kathmandu the following day.
Sadly, another climber, a Chinese national, also died while ascending Mount Everest on the same day, bringing the total death count for this season to eight. Previously, four Sherpa climbers, an American doctor, and a Moldovan climber had lost their lives on Everest.
The incidents highlight the risks and challenges associated with climbing Mount Everest, even for experienced climbers, and serve as a reminder of the importance of thorough preparation, physical fitness, and adherence to expert advice in such extreme environments.
