Spring 2024: Eight Deaths Including a Cornice Collapse near the Summit
| Event date | Spring 2024 season (deaths from mid to late May) |
|---|---|
| Location | Southeast Ridge, near the Hillary Step and the South Summit |
| Type | Climbing accidents; missing persons |
| Deaths | 8, including 3 missing and presumed dead |
| Verification | Verified |
| Status | Historical / closed |
Eight people died on Everest during the spring 2024 season, three of whom were never found. The first were two Mongolian climbers, Usukhjargal Tsedendamba (53) and Purevsuren Lkhagvajav (31), who lost contact after leaving Camp IV; Tsedendamba’s body was later found at about 8,600 metres after days of searching.
Later in May, a snow cornice on the summit ridge near the Hillary Step collapsed under climbers during the descent. British climber Daniel Paterson (40) and his guide Pas Tenji Sherpa (23) fell with it; their bodies have not been recovered. Around the same time, Kenyan climber Cheruiyot Kirui died high on the mountain and his guide, Nawang Sherpa, went missing.
The 2024 toll was lower than 2023’s but still high enough to keep attention on crowding on summit days, the pace at which some clients are taken above 8,000 metres, and the risk borne by the Nepali guides who are roped to them.
Sources
- Alan Arnette — "Everest 2024: More Summits and Deaths as Season Winds Down"
- Malay Mail / AFP — body of missing Mongolian climber found
- Malay Mail / AFP — Kenyan climber dies, Nepali guide missing
- Newsweek — deaths and missing climbers after ice collapse near summit
Last reviewed 29 September 2026. Written in Merolog’s own words from the sources listed; where sources disagree, each figure is attributed rather than merged. Spotted an error or a newer figure? Leave a comment on this entry.