British Climber Dies 500 Meters from Aconcagua’s Summit

BUENOS AIRES – A British mountain climber died of respiratory arrest 500 meters (1,640 feet) from the summit of Mt. Aconcagua, in western Argentina, authorities confirmed to Efe on Sunday.

Solloer Cookson, a 58-year-old Scot, died on Saturday in the Plaza Independencia zone of Aconcagua, which rises to an altitude of 6,959 meters (about 22,825 feet), said the Mendoza provincial security ministry.

The climber was ascending the mountain when he became ill and, although he was immediately taken to camp by his companions, he went into cardiac arrest and did not recover, the head of the Mendoza natural resources department, Daniel Gomez, told local media.

Cookson is the first person to die this season on Aconcagua, the highest peak in the Andes.