Congestion on Everest leads to backlog of climbers in 'death zone'

Local media cites recent deaths of three people as cause for hours-long queue in freezing temperatures

Hundreds of climbers hoping to make it to the summit of the world's tallest mountain were forced to queue for hours in freezing temperatures at high altitude this week as congestion built up on Mount Everest.

The delays have been linked to the deaths of at least three people on the mountain, according to local media. An American man and an Indian man and a woman all died as they descended, various sources said.