Mount Everest has long been the lifelong dream of avid mountaineers, who envision themselves making their way to the very top and admire the breathtaking view.
Unfortunately, this same mountain has also been the place of countless lives lost, and tragically it was no different for a 51-year-old woman who died during an expedition.
51yo M’sian woman dies while climbing Mount Everest
The victim was Zhang Ruixin (transliteration), who boasted of 30 years of mountaineering experience but succumbed to severe hypoxia at high altitudes and passed away today (Oct 10).
Speaking to China Press, her sister explained that Zhang flew to Nepal with a group of about 10 people on Oct 1 and started climbing Mount Everest the next day.
On Oct 7, Zhang began experiencing breathlessness, prompting the group to set up camp at a lower altitude in the hopes of improving her oxygen intake.
Members of the group reported that my sister was relocated from Annapurna Base Camp (ABC), situated at approximately 4,130 meters above sea level, to Machhapuchchhre Base Camp (MBC), which rests at an elevation of around 3,600 meters above sea level, for oxygen supplementation.
Unfortunately, Zhang did not survive and eventually died at around 2am.
Body had to be carried down from Mount Everest
Due to adverse weather conditions, helicopters were unable to be deployed to transport Zhang’s body down Mount Everest.
As such, her body had to be carried down in a grueling journey which lasted 7 hours.
According to the Chinese daily, Zhang’s body is currently in Nepal, where it was sent to a local hospital for an autopsy.
“We are currently waiting for the autopsy report and death certificate to be released,” said her sister.
She also added that their mother has decided to cremate Zhang’s body in Nepal before bringing it back to Malaysia to be buried.
Our deepest condolences to Zhang’s family for their loss and to those looking to scale Mount Everest, please check with your doctor whether it’s safe to do so before climbing!
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