Two climbers – one from France and one from South Korea – have died in Nepal after undertaking separate climbs on Ama Dablam in the Himalayas, officials confirmed on Monday (Oct 27). According to Subash Shrestha from Himalayan Vision Treks and Expedition, 65-year-old French mountaineer Hugo Lucio Colonia Lazaro was struck by falling ice and airlifted to Kathmandu last week, where he later passed away in the hospital.

In another incident, 66-year-old South Korean climber Hong Khy Park died on Sunday. Homnath Bhattarai of J’Vill Nepal Treks reported that Park collapsed while ascending the peak with a group of six. Standing at 6,814 metres in the Solukhumbu region, Ama Dablam is considered a smaller but technically demanding Himalayan mountain. It is a favourite stop among trekkers heading toward Everest Base Camp and is often compared to the Matterhorn for its dramatic ridges and steep slopes.

This autumn season, which wraps up next month, Nepal has issued 400 climbing permits for Ama Dablam. Tourism from trekking and mountaineering remains a crucial source of livelihood and revenue for Nepal, located between China and India. Earlier this month, another South Korean climber died after scaling a trekking peak in the same area.