American climber dies on world’s fifth-highest peak in Nepal

An American mountaineer died on Mount Makalu in eastern Nepal during a climb to raise funds for a children’s cancer programme, officials said on Tuesday, the second death in the Himalayan nation’s climbing season that began in March.

The world’s fifth-highest mountain, Makalu’s peak is 8,463 m (28,000 ft) high, compared to Mount Everest, the tallest peak, at a height of 8,849 m (29,032 ft).

Alexander Pancoe, 39, died on Sunday while settling into his sleeping bag at the mountain’s second high camp, after returning from an acclimatisation trip at the higher camp three, expedition organiser Madison Mountaineering said.

“Alex suddenly became unresponsive,” the…