Bodies of three Indian climbers, two of whom had died last year on Mount Everest, were retrieved on Sunday from a high altitude camp on the world’s tallest peak and airlifted to the Nepalese capital.
Paresh Chandra Nath, 58, and Gautam Gosh, 50, were missing from April 7 last year. Ravi Kumar, 27, died last week when he fell into a crevice after conquering Mount Everest. His body was also recovered from the same camp.
Their bodies have been sent to Kathmandu by helicopter for the post-mortem.
The bodies were taken to Tribhuwan University Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu for postmortem, said an official of Seven Summit Treks that carried out the rescue works.
Later, the bodies were handed over to the Indian Embassy officials in Kathmandu, the official said.
Nath and Gosh, who had reached camp-4 on March 15 last year, were found buried under snow. They were associated with Trekking Camp Nepal Private Limited, Kathmandu for the Mount Everest expedition.
They died last year but their remains could not be moved due to bad weather, according to tourism department officials.
The bodies were found above 8,000 metres - an altitude that marks the beginning of the “death zone”.
The West Bengal government has sent three officials to manage the recovery operation.
Kumar, who died last week, was associated with Summit Trek Private Limited, Kathmandu.
On Wednesday, bodies of four climbers, including two foreigners and a woman, were found at a high altitude camp on Everest, taking the total number of fatalities on the world’s tallest peak to 10 this season.
Last year, five climbers lost their lives on Mt Everest. A total of 640 people reached the summit. Climbers ascend Mt Everest from two sides - the north face from China and the South face from Nepal.
Nepal had cleared 371 mountaineers to climb Mount Everest during the current season ending this month.
Nearly 300 people have died on Mt Everest since the first ascent to the peak was made in 1953.
It is estimated that more than 200 dead bodies are still lying on the mountain.
