Kenyan mountaineer Joshua Cheruiyot Kirui, 40, who had gone missing near the summit of Mount Everest, has tragically been discovered deceased.
He was attempting to become the first African to scale Mt Everest without supplemental oxygen, accompanied by his Nepali guide Nawang Sherpa, 44, who remains missing.
The search team deployed to locate the pair has not yet found Mr. Sherpa, as confirmed by a local tourism official to AFP news agency.
Scaling Everest is notoriously challenging and hazardous, even for seasoned climbers.
According to Nepalese newspaper the Himalayan Times, Mr. Sherpa reported to base camp that Mr. Kirui exhibited “abnormal behavior” and resisted returning or using bottled oxygen.
Communication with them ceased shortly after this message.
A close friend of Mr. Kirui, Kipkemoi Limo, shared with the media that the mountaineer died from a fall.
Concerns now arise regarding Mr. Kirui’s wishes regarding his burial, whether on Everest or repatriated to Kenya, incurring substantial costs.
Mr. Kirui had meticulously prepared physically, including climbing Manaslu, the eighth-highest mountain, and engaging in local climbs, gym workouts, and marathons.
Despite expressing confidence in conquering Everest without extra oxygen, he had emergency support and evacuation plans in place.
His passing deeply impacts the Kenyan mountaineering community. James Muhia, a fellow mountaineer, expressed sorrow over the loss and earlier had confidence in Mr. Kirui’s abilities, citing his experience, resilience, and training.
This tragic incident adds to the fatalities on Everest this week, including a Romanian climber and a British climber with his Nepalese guide, as reported by the Himalayan Times.
Source-BBC
