A Singaporean climber has passed away during a climbing expedition to Mount Kilimanjaro.

 

SINGAPORE: A climber from Singapore has lost their life during an attempt to ascend Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

When approached by CNA for comments, a spokesperson from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) stated on Sunday (August 13) that "consular assistance and support have been provided to the family of the deceased."

"The MFA offers its heartfelt condolences to the family."

A friend of the climber informed 8World that the deceased individual's name was Darrel Phee Chin Ann and that he was 28 years old.

On August 2, a Facebook post by the local travel agency Adventures Unlimited depicted a group of travelers at Changi Airport with the accompanying message: "Prepare to join us on this exhilarating journey as we strive to conquer not only the highest peak in Africa but also our personal limitations!"

As per a post within the agency's private Facebook group, Mr. Phee experienced a sudden drop in oxygen levels and an increase in heart rate during the morning of the summit hike.

Subsequently, it was decided that he would not continue with the mountain ascent, and he returned to the base camp accompanied by a guide, adhering to safety protocols.

However, Mr. Phee's altitude sickness escalated and tragically resulted in his death due to asphyxiation and high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE), as reported by 8World.

HAPE, an altitude illness condition, can become life-threatening as it involves the accumulation of fluid in the lungs, obstructing the efficient exchange of oxygen into the bloodstream.

According to a 2012 article published in the United States National Library of Medicine, HAPE stands as "the most common cause of death related to high altitude."

At an elevation of 5,895 meters, Mount Kilimanjaro stands as Africa's highest summit. Although a favored destination for adventurers, the Climbing Kilimanjaro website notes that "over 50 percent of climbers experience mountain sickness," making it a high-altitude trek of extreme nature.

Fatal incidents on Mount Kilimanjaro are notably infrequent, with a probability of less than 1 percent, as indicated in a Facebook post by Adventures Unlimited.

However, the travel agency also noted that factors such as high altitude, severe weather conditions, the climber's physical condition, and the demanding physical challenges could all have potentially contributed to the climber's unfortunate demise.

In May, another Singaporean climber, Shrinivas Sainis Dattatraya, went missing after successfully reaching the peak of Mount Everest. His wife explained that he had developed High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE), a high-altitude ailment leading to fatigue and impaired coordination, rendering him unable to descend.

Despite efforts, a search and rescue team was unable to locate him.

CNA has reached out to Adventures Unlimited for further details.