Mount Everest suffers 'traffic jam' after two climbers die near summit

American and Indian among latest fatalities

Climbers have been stuck in a “traffic jam” near the summit of Mount Everest after two climbers died near the summit.

Over 200 mountaineers were climbing the world’s highest mountain from Nepal and China, but had to line up on their way for more than two hours, the Himalayan Times reported.

An American and Indian were among the latest fatalities on the 8,848m mountain.

Donald Lynn Cash, 55, collapsed near the summit as he was taking photos, the Agence France-Presse news agency reported.

Anjali Kulkarni, 54, died after falling ill while descending the summit, according to the Himalayan Times.

Four people have died while climbing Everest so far this season.

An Indian climber died last week and an Irish mountaineer is presumed dead after slipping and falling close to the summit.

It comes after a Sherpa mountaineer extended his record for the number of successful climbs of Mount Everest to 24.

Kami Rita climbed to the top on 15 May then returned to base camp, before climbing it again.

There are 41 teams with a total of 378 climbers permitted to scale Everest during the spring climbing season. An equal number of Nepalese guides are helping them to get to the summit.

Only a few windows of good weather each May allow climbers the best chance of climbing to the summit.