Serac collapse injures Sherpa guide, Indian mountaineer on Everest climb

KATHMANDU: Two climbers -- an Indian mountaineer and a Sherpa guide -- were injured early Tuesday morning after a serac collapse along the Khumbu Icefall route on Mt. Everest hit them, Nepal's Department of Tourism said.

The injured have been identified as Nimish Kumar Singh, 40, from India, and Pembha Tenduk Sherpa, 44, a mountain guide from Nepal.

According to the department, the incident occurred at around 5:45 a.m. when a serac collapse caused falling ice to reach the main climbing route, striking members of the expedition team.

A serac is a large, unstable block or pinnacle of glacial ice, often formed by intersecting crevasses on a glacier's surface or on steep icefalls.

At the time of the incident, permit-holding climbers and Sherpa guides from multiple expedition agencies were heading toward Camp I from Camp II via the Khumbu Icefall as part of the acclimatisation process. They had earlier reached Camp II after ascending from Everest Base Camp.

The Khumbu Icefall, one of the most hazardous sections of the Everest climbing route, is known for frequent ice shifts and serac collapses, particularly during the early climbing season.