A Seattle professor died during a climb up Mount Everest

By Ayana Archie

Published May 3, 2023 at 4:19 AM EDT

Tents are pitched on Camp 2, as climbers rest on their way to summit Mount Everest on May 16, 2013. University of Washington officials say a retired Seattle doctor died on Monday, May 1, 2023, while climbing Mount Everest. Dr. Jonathan Sugarman was climbing the mountain as part of an expedition arranged by Washington state-based International Mountain Guides.

A Seattle man died during a climb up Mount Everest, his climbing group announced Tuesday.

Citing the U.S. Embassy in Nepal, NBC News reported that the man was Dr. Jonathan Sugarman, a retired faculty member whose work focused on national and global health concerns. He did not die from a climbing-related accident or inclement weather, the International Mountain Guides said.

"The rest of the IMG climbing team is all doing as well as can be expected given the circumstances," IMG CEO Eric Simonson said.

Sugarman died at Camp 2, located about 21,000 feet above sea level.

The climbers began their trek Saturday, according to IMG's posts.

Mount Everest, located in Nepal and Tibet, is the mountain with the highest altitude above sea level, with an elevation of 29,029 feet, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.