Australian climber dies on Mt Everest: Jason Bernard Kennison 'unresponsive' at summit

An Australian climber has died on Mt Everest, marking the 10th fatality on the world’s highest mountain this year.

Jason Bernard Kennison, 40, died after he became unresponsive at the summit on Friday, according to his expedition organiser.

Mr Kennison had survived a major car crash back in 2006 that forced him to learn how to walk again – before he suffered further spinal nerve damage years later. 

The mining engineer pushed on with his goal of climbing the mountain to raise funds for Spinal Cord Injuries Australia. 

Asian Trekking chief Dawa Steven Sherpa confirmed that Mr Kennison was brought down to the Balcony area after reaching the mountain’s peak. 

Australian climber Jason Bernard Kennison (pictured), 40, has died on Mt Everest after reaching the peak 

‘Since the oxygen cylinders that they had with them were running out, they decided to descend to Camp 4 hoping to climb back again with oxygen cylinders to rescue him,’ he told AFP. 

‘It was high wind and bad weather that prevented them (from) going back to bring him down. He died at the Balcony area.’ 

The Balcony is a small platform, situated around 8400m, where climbers can rest. 

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A close friend of Mr Kennison’s uploaded text messages he sent to the climber before his death to social media.

‘It’s been a rough and tough year of prep, let alone a few weeks here with the rotations, so now comes the final run when and if the weather allows like you say…’ he wrote. 

After asking about seeing Mr Kennison’s picture on the mountain’s peak, Mr Kennison responded: ‘Within the next 4 weeks hopefully mate.’ 

Mr Kennison is the sixth person to die on the mountain among non-Nepalis, and the 10th overall in 2023.

Mr Kennison became unresponsive at the summit of Mt Everest (pictured) before he was brought down to the platform on Friday

Four people died on the mountain just last week including a man from China who ‘fell’ trying to reach the peak and a woman from India last Thursday.

One man from Moldova also died from illness on Wednesday and a sherpa was killed during his descent from the mountain on Tuesday. 

US mountaineer Jonathan Reuel Sugarman, 69, perished on the mountain after he became unwell earlier this month, while three Nepali climbers were killed in April.

There has been a significant spike in the number of deaths on the mountain this year after three deaths were reported for the entire 2022 climbing season. 

Nearly 450 climbers have climbed Mount Everest this season, according to Nepal’s tourism department. 

More to come