Earlier she told students she wanted to prove vegans were not 'weak'

She was an experienced climber who previously conquered Kilimanjaro

The 34-year-old was joined by her husband Robert for the challenge

Maria Strydom, a 34-year-old lecturer at Monash University in Melbourne, died as she made her way down Mount Everest on Saturday

A woman who died of altitude sickness while climbing Mount Everest took on the challenge to prove that 'vegans can do anything'.

Maria Strydom died on Saturday afternoon after having to turn back from the final leg of the expedition because she felt unwell.

She returned to Camp 4, the last camp before the mountain's summit, on Friday where she spent the night but died from lack of oxygen the following day.

The 34-year-old South African national taught at Monash University in Melbourne and was an experienced climber.

Her husband Robert Gropel is injured but, according to trip organisers, '100 per cent safe'.

Weeks before her death Dr Strydom told how she and her husband wanted to dispel the belief that vegans were 'weak' or 'malnourished' by taking on the climb.

'It seems that people have this warped idea of vegans being malnourished and weak.

'By climbing the seven summits we want to prove that vegans can do anything and more,' she said in an interview with the university where she worked.

She also told of the dangers most climbers feared when taking on the mountain.

'We've all heard stories of frostbite and having to turn around from excessive waiting times due to inexperienced people blocking routes.

'This can lead to life threatening situations and death where Sherpas and other climbers have to risk their lives to attempt rescues.'

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Dr Strydom had begun climbing from Camp 4, the highest camp before the summit, on Friday but was forced to turn back when she felt unwell.

She returned to the camp site at 26,085ft with a sherpa while others in her group carried on. Her husband is though to have reached the summit.

On Saturday, after spending the night at Camp 4, her condition deteriorated. She 'stopped breathing' due to a lack of oxygen that afternoon, said a spokesman for Seven Summit Treks.

Dr Strydom was climbing with her husband Robert (above together) and a group of 10 others

The South African national (above during a previous expedition) was an experienced climber who previously conquered Kilimanjaro

Dr Strydom, a university finance lecturer, took on the seven summit challenge with her husband

Dutch national Eric Arnold, 36, also died after falling ill. It was his fifth attempt at climbing Everest. On Friday he shared a celebratory photograph on Twitter after reaching the summit.

A tourism official later confirmed he died while making his descent after complaining of weakness. Authorities are liaising with those in the Netherlands to organise for his body to be airlifted off the mountain.

It is not clear when Dr Strydom's body will be returned to Australia. The trek company confirmed on Sunday it was still on the mountain.

'A sherpa has to carry the body to Camp 1 where an air ambulance can pick up but (it is) not fixed when to do that still (sic)' they said.

Her husband, they added, was at base camp. A Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman told Daily Mail Australia it was assisting an 'injured' Australian man believed to be Dr Strydom's husband.

'The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance to the family of an Australian woman reported to have died on Mt Everest in Nepal.

Mount Everest was the latest peak in the couple's 'seven summit' climbing challenge. Above, Dr Strydom at the top of Denali, the highest mountain in North America

The 34-year-old (seen above with her husband at Uhuru Peak on Kilimanjaro during a previous climb) said she wanted to dispel the idea vegans were 'weak' or 'malnourished' by climbing Everest

Above, a spokesman for the trekking company pointed out where she died on a map on Sunday

A live GPS map tracking Dr Strydom's movements gave her family updates on her whereabouts

'DFAT is also providing consular assistance to an injured Australian man accompanying the woman,' they said.

The woman's mother, Maritha, shared her grief on Sunday after going days without news from her daughter or son-in-law.

Calling her Marisa, she said she was 'too devastated to communicate' after learning of her death. Only hours earlier she shared a post revealing she had heard of Mr Arnold's death but had no news of her daughter.

'No contact with Marisa or Rob yet. We're using all possible ways to locate them,' she said.

Another woman claiming to be the lecturer's sister took to the Facebook page of trek organisers Arnold Coster Expenditions to claim she learned of her death online.

'I have just read online that my sister Maria died on Everest. Why can't you contact the family before we have to find out this way?' she said.

She later told AAP they learned of the death through The Himalayan Times, a Nepalese newspaper.

Eric Arnold, a 36-year-old Dutch national, also died on Saturday from altitude sickness. He is pictured above during previous climbs

It was Mr Arnold's fifth attempt at the mountain. He reached the summit on Friday, informing friends online of the accomplishment

On Friday Mr Arnold celebrated reaching the mountain's peak by sharing this photograph on Twitter

The family had been concerned for Dr Strydom and her husband after going several days with no news of the pair while they completed the toughest portion of the climb.

They had been monitoring a GPS tracker for updates which gave their last known location on Saturday.

On Sunday Dr Strydom's mother said she was 'praying' for her son-in-law's safety. She earlier told friends that it was the couple's 'mission' to become the 'first vegans' to climb Everest.

'Their mission is to demonstrate that Vegan people can achieve anything everyone else can,' she said.

Monash University shared a tribute to the lecturer on Sunday afternoon, writing: 'The Monash University community is deeply saddened by the tragic news of the loss of Dr Maria Strydom on Mt Everest.

'We are liaising with authorities and our heartfelt thoughts and support are extended to Maria’s family, her friends, colleagues and students.'



