Subrata Ghosh, a 45-year-old climber from Bengal’s Ranaghat, died during his descent from Mt Everest in what was the second reported death on the world’s highest mountain this season.

Ghosh had successfully reached the summit around 2pm on May 15 as part of the Krishnanagar–Snowy Everest Expedition 2025, but encountered severe exhaustion and showed symptoms of altitude sickness on the way down.

According to his expedition guide, Champal Tamang, Ghosh eventually became immobile and refused to proceed.

The incident occurred just below the Hillary Step, a critical point near the mountain's summit. Tamang managed to return to Camp IV later that night and reported the situation to the team on the morning of May 16. Efforts are currently underway to retrieve Ghosh's body and bring it down to base camp.

Subrata Ghosh, who worked as a government schoolteacher in Bagdah, around 128km noth of Kolkata, had embarked on the expedition at the end of March.

“We were informed about the incident around 7am by Snowy Horizon Trek and Expedition, the agency that organised Subrata’s climb,” Ghosh’s brother Surajit Ghosh told The Telegraph Online.

“He began his journey on March 31. We are urging authorities to carry out the rescue operation without delay,” he added.

Surajit also mentioned that Subrata was part of a team of around six members on the expedition.

This marks the second fatality involving a foreign climber on Mt Everest this season. Just a day earlier, on May 14, 45-year-old Philipp II Santiago from the Philippines died at Camp IV while preparing for his summit attempt.

Santiago was also part of the same expedition organised by the Mountaineering Association of Krishnanagar and Snowy Horizon Treks.

Ghosh and Santiago became the first mountaineers to die on Mount Everest in the current March-May climbing season of the world's highest peak

Bodhraj Bhandari, managing director of Snowy Horizon Treks, confirmed both incidents to Reuters and said the cause of Santiago’s death is still under investigation. Recovery operations for both climbers are ongoing.

Additionally, two Sherpa support staff, who had fallen ill at Everest base camp earlier in the season, were evacuated but later died during treatment at HAMS Hospital in Kathmandu.

The Hillary Step is located in the 'death zone', an area between 8,000-metre (26,250 ft) high South Col and the summit where the level of natural oxygen is inadequate for survival.

According to a Reuters report, Nepal has issued 459 permits to climb Everest during the current season that ends in May. Nearly 100 climbers and their guides have already reached the summit this week. Mountain climbing, trekking and tourism is a source of income and employment for Nepal, one of the poorest countries in the world. At least 345 people have died on Everest in more than 100 years since summiting expeditions were known to have started, according to the Himalayan data base and hiking officials.