“Two foreign climbers lost their lives on Everest because of altitude sickness. Australian Climber Dr. Maria Strydom & Dutch Mountaineer Eric Arnold died on the way back to base camp after their successful summits of world’s highest mountain, Everest.”

After two consecutive devastating years that took lives of 16 Sherpas because of icefall avalanche in 2014 & killed 19 mountaineers at Everest Base Camp because of the avalanche triggered by 7.9 magnitude quake in 2015; 2016 seemed to be a very positive year. However, tragedy continues this year as well.

“Mt. Everest is always there but lives lost can’t be revived. We offer our sincere condolences to Dr. Maria Strydom & Eric Arnold; May their souls rest in peace. We would pray almighty to offer their families the courage to bear the enormous pain losing their loved ones.”

Eric Arnold was on Everest Expedition to raise the funds for Project MinE; the project that researches on incurable disease ALS, which is a rare neuro-muscular disease. Dr. Strydom with her husband was on the mission to summit 7 highest peaks of seven continents.

“We Nepalese never miss an opportunity to boast about Everest. However, for few families across the world Everest has not favored. Everest has nothing to do with it. It is there because it has to be there. There would not be mountaineers without mountains. Mountaineers take challenges to conquer this world’s highest mountain, which in adventure world is a massive achievement & while undertaking the mission it offers the highest degree of adrenaline rush.”

Dr. Maria Strydom & Eric Arnold

Photo Courtesy: Himalayan Times

We salute Maria Strydom & Eric Arnold for their courage & success in achieving the summit of Everest. We are also very grateful for their love towards Nepal & Himalayas of Nepal that brought them here with the passion to scale Everest.

“Entire Tourism fraternity of Nepal at the moment is celebrating the success of 330 successful summits but more than that we are mourning on your untimely demise. Once again may your souls rest in peace.”