Goechala trek claims another life, stakeholders seek better medical support

A 45-year-old trekker from Uttar Pradesh died on the Goechala route in Sikkim after falling ill during descent. The incident marks the third death on the route in 2025, raising fresh safety concerns.

Gangtok: A 45-year-old man from Uttar Pradesh has died at the popular Goechala trekking route in Sikkim, police said.

The man, identified as Suraj Kumar Tiwari, along with two friends, was on an eight-day Goechala trekking expedition in the Khangchendzonga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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He had completed the trek and was ascending on Thursday when, around 9 am, he suddenly fell ill near Kokchurong camp, showing symptoms similar to paralysis, a police officer said.

Fellow trekkers and guides provided him with first aid. With the help of locals and other trekkers, he was carried towards Yuksom, but he died near Phedang campsite at an altitude of 12,100 ft around 8 pm on Thursday, he said.

His body was brought to Gyalshing District Hospital on Friday, and after the conduct of a post-mortem examination and legal formalities, the body was handed over to his family on Saturday.

Tiwari is survived by his wife, a son, and a daughter.

This was the third death on the Goechala route in 2025, prompting tourism stakeholders in Yuksom to urge authorities to strengthen medical facilities and emergency rescue systems, especially along the Dzongri-Goechala corridor.

Earlier, a trekker from Kolkata and another local from Gyalshing died in separate incidents linked to acute mountain sickness.