A 60-year-old South Australian man, Dean Higgins, died in an avalanche while climbing Mount Everest on October 15.
A spokesperson for the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs said officials at the Australian Embassy in Kathmandu had contacted Higgins’ wife and provided consular assistance.
Reports indicate that Higgins and his wife encountered an avalanche during their climb, were buried under snow for over six hours, and managed to dig themselves out. Their friend said it took them eight hours to walk down the mountain, and although Higgins was alive when they reached the base, he later died there.
At the time, the couple was traveling with two other tourists, three porters, two cooks, and one guide. After the avalanche, local authorities received an emergency distress signal and organized a rescue. Higgins and three local Tibetan porters lost their lives.
Chinese state media reported that Mr. Higgins died from altitude sickness, poor health, and old age, and described the group’s Everest climb as “illegal.”