Filipino climber Engr. Philipp Santiago II died while preparing to summit Mt. Everest, several sources confirmed on Thursday.
Himal Gautam of Nepal’s tourism department told AFP that Santiago was exhausted when he reached the final camp (Camp 4) on Wednesday night.
“He died at the place where he was resting… We are consulting to bring his body back to the base camp,” according to Bodha Raj Bhandari of Snowy Horizon Treks and Expedition, which organized the climb.
Santiago was part of the Mountaineering Association of Krishnanagar-Snowy Everest Expedition 2025
Journalist Emil Sumangil, who is a relative of Santiago, likewise confirmed the latter’s death.
Their family is asking for prayers and privacy during this difficult time. — With reports from AFP