Vancouver doctor dies while climbing Mount Everest

A Vancouver doctor has died while trying to climb Mount Everest.

The UBC Department of Anesthesiology released a statement saying Dr. Pieter Swart was descending from Camp 4 after a “respiratory event” when he died.

0:28 Vancouver doctor dies on Mt. Everest

“Pieter was lost to us while bravely pursuing his dream of being on top of the world, since he was nine. As many of you know Pieter had an insatiable wanderlust,” the department said in a statement.

Swart is being remembered as a warm and caring physician, husband and parent of two grown children.

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“Pieters’s sense of humour was second to none,” the statement continues. “Laughing was always part of the encounter and you always parted smiling. He was a trusted friend to many.

“Pieter always made your day (and night) better when you interacted with him. He was a boet (brother) to so many.”

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The ongoing summit season on the world’s tallest mountain has been deadly, with 12 climbers having lost their lives since April 12.