A dad has died while attempting to climb Mount Everest - on the same day a search for a man who disappeared on the summit was called off.
Kevin Hynes, 56, was part of a group from climbing company 360 Expeditions attempting to scale the summit of the highest mountain.
They left from the Tibetan (North) side on Friday morning, Irish Mirror says.
Kevin, from Galway, Ireland, reportedly passed away in his tent at the North Col, at 7,000m above sea level, in the early hours.
"Kevin was one of the strongest and most experienced climbers on our team and had previously summited Everest South and Lhotse," a spokesman for 360 Expeditions said.
Efforts are underway to bring the dad-of-two's body to base camp, officials said.
An Irish Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman said: "The Department is aware of reports of the death of an Irish citizen on the north slopes of Mount Everest.
"We stand ready to provide consular assistance."
One of Ireland’s leading mountaineers and adventurers, Pat Falvey, who is the only Irish person to successfully ascend Mt Everest from the north and south faces twice in the world said: "I can confirm that Mr Hynes died on Mount Everest.
"It appears so far and from speaking with officials in Nepal that he died from altitude sickness.
"There are more Irish people dying on Everest than any other nationality which this season to date has seen 19 deaths. This news is just tragic."
The death comes a week after in temperatures of -27C.
A recovery operation for the 39-year-old man from Bray, Ireland, was today called off.
Mr Lawless, whose wife Pamela is expecting their second child, was told the heartbreaking news.
In a heartbreaking statement, the lecturer's employer Trinity College said: "It is with deep sadness that we have learnt this evening that the search for our friend and colleague, Séamus (Shay) Lawless, has been unsuccessful.
"While the experienced search team has made every effort to locate Shay, the extremes of operating at high altitude and the sheer range of the search area ultimately proved too difficult and based on expert advice the Lawless family have decided to call off the search rather than risk endangering anyone’s life in the treacherous conditions.
"The tragic death of our friend and colleague, Séamus (Shay) Lawless, has come as a huge shock to all of us."
