S'pore woman dies in Bhutan after hike to iconic Buddhist site Tiger's Nest Monastery

A woman from Singapore has died in Bhutan on May 30 after she felt unwell while descending from Tiger's Nest Monastery, one of the country's most revered Buddhist sites.

What happened

According to The Straits Times (ST), the woman was part of a tour group organised by Singapore-based travel company Chan Brothers, which departed on a chartered flight on May 26.

In response to the newspaper's queries, the travel company said the woman had informed her tour guide she was not feeling well during the descent from the monastery.

Tiger's Nest Monastery, also known as Paro Taktsang, clings to a cliff face some 900 metres above the Paro valley floor and sits 3,120m above sea level.

Emergency assistance, including CPR, was administered on site before she was transported to Paro Hospital.

In their statement, Chan Brothers said it is deeply saddened by the woman's passing.

"We are in contact with her travelling companion and family members, and are extending full support during this difficult time. Relevant authorities, including the Singapore Embassy, have been informed," said the company, adding that investigations and a post-mortem examination are ongoing.

It said it is unable to comment further at this time.

Reddit thread

The incident came to wider public attention on Saturday afternoon, when a Reddit user posted on the r/askSingapore forum that appeared to be referring to the incident.

The Reddit user described a call her purported mother had received from someone identifying themselves as a Chan Brothers representative, informing her that her sister had died while on tour in Bhutan.

The user, uncertain whether the call was legitimate, asked the public whether such notifications were typically handled by travel agencies rather than police or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"My mother is frantic but i don't believe it's true. It's a scam right? Can someone please help if you have heard of this scam before? Why would a travel agency be handling death notifications? Should the police or MFA handle this? Please help if you have come across a similar scam so I can reassure my mother."

Users expressed their sympathies, and the original poster updated to say a friend who was on the trip contacted her mother to confirm the tragic news.