KATHMANDU: Two Indian mountaineers, Sandeep Are and Arun Kumar Tiwari, died from exhaustion while descending Mount Everest, officials confirmed Friday.

Despite strenuous rescue efforts by their guides, both climbers perished shortly after reaching the 8,848.86-metre peak—Are on Wednesday and Tiwari late Thursday afternoon.

Are passed away on Thursday, while the exact time of Tiwari’s death remains unconfirmed.

The tragedy unfolded during a historic week on the mountain.

On Wednesday, Are was among a record-breaking 274 climbers who successfully summited in a single day, marking the highest number of ascents ever recorded in a 24-hour window.