Recent reports that Nepali high-altitude rescue experts spotted four climbers dead in a tent near Mt Everest are misleading, an expedition organiser said on Thursday.

Mingma Sherpa, managing director of Seven Summit Treks, said that his guides had seen three bodies—two Indians and a Slovakian—at Camp IV (7,950m) and another of an American climber—at the so-called balcony (8,400m).

 “I haven’t told any media that these all climbers died this weekend. In fact, I had said my guides had seen those corpses” he said. “Two of the bodies are of this season’s casualties, while two other bodies are old; they could have died during previous years.”

Sherpa was quoted by multiple media reports about the new deaths. However, he refuted talking to various media. “I have talked to only a few media,” he added.

Durga Datta Dhakal, spokesperson of Department of Tourism that issues the climbing permit, also said that the report on four deaths appears to be misleading.

According to him, 25 individual reached the summit of Everest on Thursday.

“There are a number of climbers waiting for their turn to climb the world’s tallest peak on Friday,” said Dhakal.

So far, Mt Everest has claimed its fifth victim this spring expedition season from the Nepal side.  American physician, Roland Yearwood, 50, died at ‘balcony’ (8,400 m) and Slovakian solo climber Vladimir Strba, 49, died at Camp IV. Indian climber Ravi Kumar, 27, was found dead in a crevasse at balcony. Nepali climber Min Bahadur Sherchan, 85, died on Everest Base Camp  Swiss climber Ueli Steck died during an acclimatisation climb.