10-10-2023 (KUALA LUMPUR) For many, conquering Mount Everest is the realization of a lifelong dream, a testament to human determination and the quest for adventure. Yet, this majestic mountain has also seen countless lives lost, and tragically, it claimed the life of a 51-year-old Malaysian woman during her expedition.
The victim, Zhang Ruixin, a mountaineer with 30 years of experience, succumbed to severe hypoxia at high altitudes on October 10. According to her sister, Zhang embarked on her journey to Nepal with a group of approximately 10 people on October 1 and commenced her ascent of Mount Everest the following day.
On October 7, Zhang began experiencing breathlessness, which prompted the group to establish a camp at a lower altitude in the hope of improving her oxygen intake. Members of the group moved her from Annapurna Base Camp (ABC), located at an elevation of approximately 4,130 meters, to Machhapuchchhre Base Camp (MBC), which rests at around 3,600 meters above sea level, for oxygen supplementation. Tragically, Zhang did not survive and passed away at around 2 am.
Compounded by adverse weather conditions, helicopters were unable to transport Zhang’s body down from Mount Everest. As a result, her body had to be carried down, an arduous journey that took seven hours. According to a Chinese daily, Zhang’s body is currently in Nepal, where it was sent to a local hospital for an autopsy.
“We are currently waiting for the autopsy report and death certificate to be released,” said her sister. She further revealed that their mother has chosen to cremate Zhang’s body in Nepal before bringing it back to Malaysia for burial.
