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Aust'n woman dies on Mt Qomolangma, body could stay on mountain indefinitely

Xinhua, May 23, 2016 Adjust font size:

The body of an Australian woman, who died trying to conquer Mount Qomolangma, may not be returned home for some time.

Dr Maria Strydom, a 34-year-old finance lecturer at Monash University, died from altitude sickness on Saturday after having to turn back just before reaching the summit.

Strydom's sister, Aletta Newman, said from Brisbane her family had been told the company leading the group, Seven Summit Treks, would attempt to bring the body back to base.

But Seven Summit Treks could not guarantee the Australian would be returned for repatriation any time soon.

"Because the body is so high up there is a chance they might not be able to get it, and that's really hard for us," Newman, born in South Africa, told News Corp on Monday.

"We don't want her to be there."

Strydom was an experienced climber, having previously climbed Denali in Alaska, Aconcagua in Argentina and Kilimanjaro in Africa.

She was scaling the world's largest peak with her husband, Melbourne veterinarian Dr Rob Gropel, who has also reportedly been struck down with altitude sickness.

Seven Summit Treks' operational manager, Furtengi Sherpa, said the Australian woman had almost reached the summit on Friday before turning back.

A "lack of energy and weakness," usual symptoms of altitude sickness, forced her to retreat while the remainder of the party reached the peak.

The operational manager's statement said Strydom had arrived back at Camp 4 on Friday night with her personal sherpa, and the pair were due to head further down the mountain on Saturday.

But despite being given oxygen she stopped breathing at 7,800 meters, he said.

According to Newman her sister fell just 400 meters short of the summit.

A Netherlands national, another member of the same party as Strydom, also died on the Qomolangma of attitude sickness on Friday.

Strydom's death came just hours after Australian teen, 19-year-old Alyssa Azar, became the youngest person to climb the world's tallest mountain. It was her third attempt.

Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance to Strydom's husband and her family. Endit