Two Foreign Climbers Die on Nepal's Ama Dablam Mountain

Two mountaineers, Hugo Lucio Colonia Lazaro from France and Hong Khy Park from South Korea, both in their mid-60s, died during separate expeditions on Nepal's Ama Dablam mountain, a technically challenging peak known as the "Matterhorn of the Himalayas." Lazaro was struck on the head by falling ice and, despite being evacuated to Kathmandu, died in hospital. Park collapsed while climbing with a team and died before medical help could be administered. Ama Dablam, standing at 6,814 meters in Nepal's Solukhumbu district and a popular climb for those en route to Everest Base Camp, has seen about 400 permits issued for the current climbing season ending in November. These fatalities add to a series of recent deaths in the region, including other trekking-related high-altitude sickness incidents, underscoring the hazards of Himalayan mountaineering. Trekking and climbing remain vital to Nepal's economy, attracting many tourists despite the risks.