The first fatality of this year’s Mount Everest climbing season has been reported, following the death of Filipino climber Philipp Santiago, 45. He died Wednesday night at Camp 4 — the final staging point before the summit — after becoming severely exhausted, according to Nepal’s tourism department.
“He died at the place where he was resting,” said Bodha Raj Bhandari of Snowy Horizon Treks and Expedition, the company managing his climb. Plans are underway to bring Santiago’s body back to base camp.
Climbing Season Begins Amid Ideal Conditions
The 2025 Everest season began on May 9, when a team of eight Nepali climbers reached the summit, opening the route for hundreds of others. Since then, more than 50 climbers have reached the peak, taking advantage of a brief weather window that allows safe passage in otherwise extreme conditions.
This spring, Nepal has issued 458 permits for Everest, each requiring at least one local guide per climber. Base camp is now crowded with over a thousand people — climbers, guides, and support staff — as teams wait for their summit opportunities. The climbing season typically runs from April to early June, when the weather is most favorable.
Growing Crowds Bring Rising Risks
However, the growing number of climbers raises ongoing concerns about safety and overcrowding. In 2019, 11 people died on Everest, with at least four of those deaths linked to traffic jams near the summit. Long waits at high altitudes increase the risk of exhaustion, frostbite, and altitude sickness.
Mount Everest has seen a surge in climbers since the first successful ascent in 1953. For Nepal, the mountain represents a vital source of tourism revenue, but also a growing logistical and environmental challenge.
