69-yr-old US mountaineer dies after falling ill at Mount Everest

An American mountaineer died at an Everest camp, his expedition organizer said Tuesday.

The 69-year-old died at a camp where climbers rest for acclimatization to reduce the risk of altitude sickness. The site was at around 6,400 meters (21,000 feet).

"He was feeling unwell and passed away at Camp 2. Efforts are underway to bring [back] his body," a sherpa guide from the expedition agency told AFP news. 

Pasang Tshering Sherpa added that bad weather was hampering efforts.

The American climber, whose name has not been released, had signed on with International Mountain Guides.

"It is with deep sorrow that IMG reports the death of one of our Everest 2023 team members at Camp 2," the climbing company  said in a statement. 

"We can confirm that this event was not the result of a climbing accident or route condition that would be of potential impact or safety concern to any other teams on the mountain," the company added.

The world's tallest mountain

Mount Everest is the tallest mountain in the world, and climbers typically aim to climb the mountain during the spring season.

Nepal issued permits for 466 foreign climbers this season, raising concerns about overcrowding at the summit.

Last month, three Nepali climbers died after a block of glacial ice fell and swept them into a crevasse, or a deep crack in a glacier.