2 Indian climbers die on Mount Kanchenjunga in Nepal

Two Indian climbers died near the summit of Mount Kanchenjunga in Nepal and a Chilean mountaineer was missing on the world's third highest mountain, their hiking company said on Thursday.

Kanchenjunga is popular with climbers who visit Nepal for the spring climbing season which ends this month.

The Indian climbers were identified as Biplab Baidya, 48, and 46-year-old Kuntal Kanrar, who died overnight at an altitude of about 8,000 metres (26,246 feet).

Pasang Sherpa of the Peak Promotion hiking company said Baidya, who climbed the 8,586 metre (28,169 feet) Kanchenjunga main summit on Wednesday, died due to altitude sickness on the way down. Kanrar died while trying to climb the peak, he said.

Both were from the eastern Indian city of Kolkata.

Sherpa said they lost contact with Chilean Rodrigo Vivanco, who was descending after scaling the same peak on Wednesday afternoon, at an altitude of about 8,400 metres (27,559 feet).

"He was without a guide as he was climbing alpine style and reported that he was low on batteries," Sherpa said, adding that Vivanco was not using oxygen.

Climbers say Kanchenjunga is a difficult mountain to conquer because of its remote location and is prone to avalanches.