American climber dies while climbing Mount Everest

() — An American climber died Monday on his way to climb Mount Everest, according to an organizer of the expedition.

“Jonathan Sugarman died at Camp 2 after he started feeling unwell,” Pasang Sherpa told on Tuesday.

Sugarman, who lived in Seattle, was part of an expedition organized by International Mountain Guides (IMG), which is based in Washington state, and Beyul Adventure handled local logistics.

Sherpa added that “his body remains at Camp 2 with the rest of the climbing team.”

The mountaineer’s death occurred after Nepal issued permits for a record 463 climbers before April 26, for this spring season’s expeditions to Mount Everest.

Following Sugarman’s death, the US Embassy issued a statement. “We can confirm that Dr. Jonathan Sugarman passed away while climbing Mount Everest on May 1,” he said. “Our deepest condolences to his family and friends.

“The Embassy is in contact with the family of Dr. Sugarman and with the local authorities. Out of respect for the family’s privacy, we cannot comment further,” read a statement sent to by an embassy spokesperson.

The ascent to Everest

Spring is the most popular time to climb Mount Everest and most climbers aim to ascend to the top in May.

There is a brief period of time, usually after mid-May, when temperatures are warmer and high-altitude winds – known as a jet stream – have moved away from the mountains.

The climbers, along with staff members and guides sherpaThey spend nearly two weeks trekking to Everest Base Camp, which is located at an altitude of around 5,200 meters.

These warmer conditions and the record number of climbers this year had raised concerns among mountaineers about the danger of overcrowding at the summit.

A photograph taken by climber Nirmal Purja, showing a dense trail of people on an exposed ridge atop the mountain, in May 2019, has gone viral. Purja told at the time that there were approximately 320 people in a line to the top in an area known as the “death zone.”

This photo of a line up to Mount Everest was taken on May 22, 2019 and released by Purja’s Project Possible. (Credit: @nimsdai/Project Possible/AFP/Getty Images)

To prevent overcrowding, Nepalese authorities say they are putting up ropes wherever possible.

“We can’t change the geography… but we are trying to manage it by adding multiple ropes,” Yubaraj Khatiwada, director of Nepal’s Department of Tourism, told .

Three sherpa died earlier this month after being buried by a block of snow on Everest, according to the official. The trio was delivering materials to build and clear a route that climbers would use to reach the top of the mountain.

Nepal is home to eight of the 10 highest mountains in the world, making mountaineering a major source of income for sherpadespite the risks associated with climbing Everest.