Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock, has claimed another victim, pushing the death count to 37.
A 76-year-old Japanese man collapsed and lost consciousness Tuesday afternoon after he attempted to ascend a very steep section of the climb on Australia’s Northern Territory, The St. Louis Post Dispatch reported.
Park Rangers were first on the scene and attempted to resuscitate the man by administering CPR until a helicopter was able to fly him to a clinic in a nearby town, however, the tourist was reported dead shortly after arrival, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corp.
Thirty-seven people attempting to climb Uluru have died since the 1950s, when fatalities first started being recorded by authorities, and the last reported death occurred in 2010.
In that incident, a 54-year-old man collapsed while descending the steep climb and also later died, The Sydney Morning Herald noted.
Although Uluru is a popular tourist destination in Australia, the large rock formation, which is as tall as a 95-story building, is known to be a treacherous climb, with many of the deaths occurring due to heart attacks, The Outback Australia Travel Guide noted.
It is also considered to be a sacred place. For years the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park board has advised visitors not to climb the iconic rock formation and as of next year, this will officially be banned.
The decision came after a unanimous vote was passed by the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park board last year, having previously consulted with the greater Anangu community.
Senior traditional owner and chairman of the park board, Sammy Wilson, said that the area was not a playground but a sacred and important place that needed to be respected.
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