A couple discovered a dead climber alongside his critically ill friend in a tent 7,000 metres up a mountain in China.

The two victims, who had met online and decided to explore the region together, were caught in a snowstorm and set up their tent to try and survive the night on Gongga Mountain, known as the 'King of Shu Mountain', on May 3.

They are believed to have been frozen by the biting cold weather and low oxygen.

The next day, mountaineer Ye Ze, was concerned by the lack of movement from the tent and checked on them. He was then able to raise the alarm so that the second man could be saved.

He said: 'At 8:20 am on May 4, near Riwuqie Pass, which is more than 4,000 metres above sea level, I saw a tent, but there was no sign of human activity around it.

'With many years of outdoor experience, I found it strange because at this time, most climbers will awake and ready to rush on their way.

'They should not be still in the tent, and there was no movement around.'

Ye said that on the night of May 3, there was a heavy snowstorm at the pass, and the oxygen was even thinner, which could easily cause or aggravate altitude sickness.

He and his female partner lifted up the tent and discovered the dead man inside and the other one almost unconscious.

They provided the man with a drink of Coca-Cola to boost his sugar levels and then rushed down the mountain to get help and called the emergency services.

The second man was reportedly saved and is now recovering following the incident.

Gao Min, secretary-general of the Sichuan Mountaineering and Outdoor Sports Association, expressed deep regret for the death of the traveller.

At the same time, he pointed out that before engaging in outdoor activities such as hiking and climbing, people need to be well prepared.

He added that it was best to hire a local guide, have a professional certified team leader, or go with a legal, compliant and qualified club.

He added that it was not recommended to hike with just one or two people, and it is not recommended to make a temporary appointment online for hiking as the two people had done in this case, resulting in the tragedy.

Mount Gongga is the highest mountain in Sichuan province, China. It has an elevation of 7,556 metres (24,790 ft) above sea level.

This makes it the third-highest peak in the world outside of the Himalaya Karakoram range, after Tirich Mir and Kongur Tagh, and the easternmost and most isolated 7,000-metre (23,000 ft) peak in the world.