Three Everest climbers die, more may be missing

A NEPALESE mountaineering official says three climbers returning from the summit of Mount Everest have died and two more are missing.

Mountaineering Department official Gyanendra Shrestha said that a German, a Nepal-born Canadian and a Korean died on Saturday while descending from the 8850-metre summit.

Shrestha said the weather was favourable on Friday and Saturday morning but a wind storm swept the mountain later on Saturday.

Shrestha, stationed at the base camp of Everest, said he was waiting for details.

The German climber, a 61-year-old doctor, Eberhard Schaaf, was believed to have suffered high-altitude cerebral edema.

The Nepalese-Canadian climber was Shriya Shah, while the Korean mountaineer's name was yet to be confirmed.  (AAP)