Singapore hiker dies from altitude sickness on Africa’s highest peak Mount Kilimanjaro

Darrel Phee had ‘normal’ vital signs throughout the days leading up to his summit push, said the travel agency with which he booked his Tanzania trip

But then the 28-year-old’s oxygen levels dropped and his heart rate increased as his condition began to rapidly deteriorate

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Elephants graze with a view of the snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro in the background. At 5,895m (19,340 feet), Kilimanjaro is Africa’s highest peak. Photo: AFP

Published: 10:04am, 14 Aug 2023Updated: 6:27pm, 11 Apr 2024

A man from Singapore died while attempting to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

Adventures Unlimited, a travel agency based in the city state, said in a Facebook post early on Saturday that it had “received the sad news of a tragedy which had happened during the Kilimanjaro trek”, which was expected to run from August 3 to Friday.

“One of our team members, Mr Darrel Phee, lost his life during the expedition,” the company said. He was 28 years old, a friend told 8World News.

In the Facebook post, Adventures Unlimited said Phee’s vital signs were “normal throughout the days of the hike”.

The sun sets over Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Africa’s highest peak is challenging to even the most experienced mountaineers because of the severe altitude gain that must be endured in a short period of time to reach the summit. Photo: AP

“However, on the morning of the summit hike, his oxygen levels dropped and his heart rate increased,” it said – a result of altitude sickness.