3 climbers die on Mount Everest

A 50-year-old Alabama man and two other climbers died Sunday on Mount Everest, expedition organizers said.

They did not release any details about how Roland Yearwood of Georgiana died, except that he was near the summit. A 54-year-old Australian climber and a 50-year-old Slovak climber also died on Sunday, in separate incidents, and organizers said an Indian climber who successfully made it to the top of Everest went missing on his way back down; his Sherpa guide, who was able to reach a camp while suffering from frostbite, said they both became sick on the descent.

This year, 371 permits were issued for people to climb Mount Everest during the spring season that runs from March through May. In 2014, an avalanche killed 16 Sherpa guides, and in 2015, 19 climbers were killed and 61 injured when an earthquake triggered an avalanche at base camp.

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