MANILA, Philippines – Filipino mountaineer Philipp "PJ" Santiago II died while preparing to reach the highest peak in the world, the Mt. Everest, on the evening of May 14, 2025. He was 45.
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| Engineer Philipp "PJ" Santiago died on Mount Everest. Photo courtesy: Facebook/Emil Sumangil |
Santiago was at Camp 4, located at 26,000 feet, in the so-called “Death Zone,” where oxygen levels are dangerously low.
Santiago was part of the 2025 Mountaineering Association of Krishnanagar – Snowy Everest Expedition. He died shortly after reaching Camp 4, according to Bodhraj Bhandari, Managing Director of Snowy Horizon Treks. The cause of his death remains unknown.
His passing marks the first death of a foreign climber on Everest this season, the Nepal Department of Tourism confirmed.
Journalist Emil Sumangil, a relative, also confirmed Santiago’s death. Efforts are ongoing to bring his body down from the mountain.
Our family is asking for prayers for the eternal repose of the soul of our beloved Engr. Philipp PJ Santiago II. We...
Posted by Emil Sumangil on Thursday, May 15, 2025
Just a week before, Santiago survived an avalanche that briefly left him unconscious and injured. After six days of rest and medical clearance, he resumed the summit attempt.
An engineer by profession, Santiago dreamed of becoming the sixth Filipino to reach Everest’s 29,031-foot peak. He described the expedition as “a climb of a lifetime” and aimed to raise awareness for Clean Water Philippines and children’s cancer.
"Ever since I was a child, I always had this urge of wanting to see the edge and come back to tell my story about it," Santiago said in a video posted on Facebook.
Two Sherpas from the expedition also died recently after falling ill and being evacuated from base camp.
Since 1921, 340 climbers have died on Everest, according to the Himalayan Database. Santiago is the first non-Nepali fatality in 2025.
As of now, five Filipinos have successfully reached the summit of Mount Everest:
1. Leo Oración – May 17, 2006
First officially recognized Filipino to summit Everest via the south route (Nepal side).
2. Erwin “Pastor” Emata – May 18, 2006
Reached the summit a day after Oración, also via the south route.
3. Romi Garduce – May 19, 2006
Summited via the north route (Tibet side); a noted mountaineer and environmental advocate.
4. Noelle Wenceslao – May 16, 2007
Member of the First Philippine Women Everest Team; first Filipina to summit.
5. Carina Dayondon – May 16, 2007
Also a member of the same women’s team; reached the summit with Wenceslao.
