KATHMANDU, May 12 — Nepal’s spring mountaineering season has turned tragic as the death toll on the country’s major Himalayan peaks climbed to five, with three climbers losing their lives on Mount Everest and one each on Mount Makalu and Makalu II amid a record-breaking climbing season.

The latest fatality occurred Monday night on Everest when 21-year-old Phura Gyaljen Sherpa of Thame, Solukhumbu, fell into a deep crevasse near Camp III while ascending toward the South Col with a large expedition team preparing for summit attempts. Sherpa, who was part of Kaitu Expeditions, died instantly in the fall. Expedition officials said preparations were underway to airlift his body from the high camp.

His death marks the third casualty on Everest this season. Earlier, veteran climber and YouTuber Bijay Ghimire Bishwakarma from Solu Dudhkunda Municipality died on May 10 after suffering a suspected cardiac arrest while crossing the dangerous Khumbu Icefall. Bishwakarma was widely recognized as the first climber from Nepal’s Dalit community to summit Everest.

Another climber, 52-year-old Lakpa Dendi Sherpa of Gudel, Solukhumbu, died on May 4 after falling while trekking from Gorakshep to Everest Base Camp during the Indo-Tibetan Border Police Everest Expedition 2026.

Meanwhile, tragedy also struck on Makalu, the world’s fifth-highest mountain. American climber Shelley Johannesen, 53, from Oregon, was killed in a small avalanche at an altitude of around 7,200 meters while descending from the summit on Sunday. Johannesen had successfully reached the 8,485-meter summit on May 9 alongside fellow American David Ashley and Sherpa climbers Tawa Sherpa and Phurba Sonam Sherpa.

The expedition was organized by Expedition Himalaya. Following the avalanche, a team of six Sherpa climbers recovered Johannesen’s body and carried it to Camp II before it was airlifted to Kathmandu for post-mortem examination.

Tawa Sherpa, who was injured in the same avalanche, was rescued by fellow climbers, while David Ashley also reportedly became ill during the descent. Both have since been airlifted to Kathmandu and are currently undergoing treatment in stable condition. Ashley and Johannesen are known for co-running Dash Adventures in the United States.

The season’s first fatality on the Makalu massif occurred on Makalu II, also known as Kangchung Tse, where Czech mountaineer David Roubinek, 38, died on May 4 while attempting an unsupported alpine-style ascent. Roubinek reportedly developed high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) near Camp III at approximately 7,300 meters. A five-member rescue team later recovered his body and transported it to high camp, where it remains awaiting airlift once weather conditions improve.

The deaths come during what has become the busiest Everest climbing season in history. Nepal’s Department of Tourism has issued a record 492 climbing permits for Everest this spring, surpassing the previous record of 479 permits issued in 2023.

Makalu has also seen significant traffic this season, with 72 climbing permits issued to members of 11 expedition teams, generating more than USD 213,000 in royalties for the government. Additionally, seven climbers obtained permits for Makalu II, according to official tourism data released earlier this month.