Two climbers, an Indian mountaineer, and a Sherpa guide sustained injuries in an early morning serac collapse along the Khumbu Icefall route on Mt. Everest, as confirmed by Nepal’s Department of Tourism. The injured individuals are Nimish Kumar Singh, 40, from India, and Pembha Tenduk Sherpa, 44, a Nepali mountain guide.
The incident occurred around 5:45 a.m. when a serac collapse led to falling ice hitting members of the expedition team on the main climbing route. A serac is a large, unstable block of glacial ice often found on glaciers’ surfaces or steep icefalls.
At the time of the accident, climbers with permits and Sherpa guides from various expedition agencies were en route from Camp II to Camp I through the Khumbu Icefall for acclimatization. The Khumbu Icefall, a perilous section of the Everest climbing route, is notorious for frequent ice shifts and serac collapses, especially during the early climbing season.
Following the incident, Sherpa guides from Pioneer Adventure Pvt. Ltd. and Summit Force Expedition promptly conducted a rescue operation and alerted officials at Everest Base Camp. Subsequently, a team from Seven Summit Trek Pvt. Ltd. organized a helicopter evacuation from Lukla airport near Mt. Everest. By 6:30 a.m., a helicopter had transported the injured to Kathmandu’s HAMS Hospital for medical care.
Both individuals are currently receiving treatment at HAMS Hospital in Kathmandu, with the department confirming that their condition is stable and they are no longer in danger. Despite increased royalty fees and flight disruptions due to the U.S.-Iran conflict, Nepal has seen a significant influx of mountaineers this spring season, including those attempting to summit Mt. Everest.
