The Kathmandu Post reported that a Singaporean woman has died of altitude sickness at Lobuche in Khumjung area of Solukhumbu on Friday morning, 26 May 2017 at her hotel room according to the District Police Office, Solukhumbu.
The deceased has been identified as 46-year-old Singaporean Amy Wong Kumling.
Amy had arrived at Lobuche, a small village near the Mount Everest, on Thursday to take part in the Everest Marathon to be held on 29 May.
Preparations are underway to send her body to Kathmandu for postmortem.
Her friend, Mr Dennis Quek, posted a tribute to her on Facebook.
Amy left us suddenly yesterday morning. She succumbed to AMS at Louboche, enroute to Everest Base Camp. We will miss her dearly. The family is working to bring her home for a farewell service. Visit Amy’s FB wall for updates. This is my favourite photo of her, taken in 2012 at Namche Bazaar when we first made the trip to EBC. While saddened, I am consoled by the fact that she left us peacefully, and doing what she loves most. The mountains called, and she went. Rest in peace my friend.
This year, close to 750 people will attempt to summit the world’s highest mountain during the narrow window of good weather that usually falls in mid-May. Many climbers have been on Everest for weeks to acclimatise before making a bid for the top.
The organiser of the Everest Marathon has requested all participants to be in Nepal three weeks prior to the race for acclimatising to the high altitude.
This year is particularly crowded as it is the last chance for climbers who were forced off the mountain by the devastating 2015 earthquake to use their extended permits. This has raised concerns about dangerous traffic jams on the mountain.
