A daring mission by a Kenyan hiker to climb Mount Everest, the world's tallest mountain, has ended in death.
Mr Cheruiyot Kirui, an accomplished climber who has summited Mount Kenya more than 10 times, disappeared above 8,000m on Mount Everest on Wednesday.
He was found dead in Mount Everest's “death zone”, the name given to areas above 8,000 metres, on Thursday morning.
“It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of Kenyan mountaineer Cheruiyot Kirui on Mount Everest. His body was found just meters from the summit point of Mount Everest.” everest today, Which covers mountaineering over the Himalayas and Karakoram with a special focus on peaks above 8,000 metres.
Kenyan hiker Cheruiyot Kirui posted this photo in his travel update that he posted on his Instagram page on April 27, 2024. He was found dead on May 23, 2024.
Image credit: Cheruiyot Kirui | Instagram
“His indomitable will and passion for mountaineering will forever be an inspiration. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends during this time of grief.”
the Himalayan Times It was reported on Thursday that Mr Kirui's body was discovered by a rescue team from Seven Summit Treks, organizers of the expedition which included trekkers from other countries, including the UK, Romania and Nepal.
The fate of Nawang, the Sherpa guide who was with Kirui in the “death zone,” remained unknown as of Thursday morning, according to base camp officials.
The banker, who worked at the Kenya Commercial Bank, reportedly attempted to climb Mount Everest without using supplemental oxygen before communication was lost from the Bishop Rock area.
On May 9, 2024, Kirui announced on his Instagram page that he and his fellow hikers had successfully made the second leg of their quest to summit Mount Everest.
Image credit: Cheruiyot Kirui | Instagram
At extreme altitudes (5500-8848 metres), supplemental oxygen can be used to prevent the effects of severe hypoxia – a condition in which not enough oxygen reaches the body's tissues.
Although Mount Everest has been climbed without supplemental oxygen, most climbers use reserve air once they reach 6,000 meters above sea level.
But before embarking on the climb, Kirui said that climbing with supplemental oxygen wouldn't be much of a challenge, and that's not what he wanted.
7 million Sh
“The challenge for me will be without the supplemental oxygen; Otherwise I won't feel like I've achieved much. So I want to see how my body can handle this altitude.
In a mission that reportedly cost more than Sh7 million, he was attempting to reach the summit of the world's tallest mountain above sea level in his quest to test the limits of the human body.
Mount Everest, which straddles the border between China and Nepal, is 8,849 meters (29,032 feet) tall.
Reports indicate that it has claimed the lives of more than 330 people since the 1920s, with more than 200 bodies remaining on the mountain.
In his trip update on April 27, 2024, Mr. Kirui told of his and his colleagues' brief stay in a tent perched on a glacier 5,300 meters above sea level.
Image credit: Cheruiyot Kirui | Instagram
Mr Kirui became the second climber to be confirmed dead on the ill-fated expedition after Romanian climber Gabriel Tavara was found dead inside his tent at Camp Three on Tuesday.
Tafara, 48, was also trying to climb Mount Lhotse without using supplemental oxygen.
Mingma Sherpa, president of Seven Summit Treks, reported that Mr Kirui disappeared after displaying “abnormal behaviour” and remaining out of contact from Bishop Rock, just meters from the summit point.
“Kirui, a banker with KCB Bank, and his Sherpa guide Nawang were last contacted at Bishop Rock,” Sherpa said.
Medically, he was armed with nifedipine, and revealed in his plan that it was because he had developed high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE), a serious altitude sickness that affects the lungs and causes them to fill with fluid, which can lead to a medical emergency.
Image credit: Cheruiyot Kirui | Instagram
It was not immediately clear whether his remains would be recovered and returned to Kenya.
The Kirui family in Kenya and the KCB group had not yet issued statements about the ill-fated flight at the time. Nation This story was published.
Reaching the summit of Mount Everest is not a walk in the park.
Dollar budgets
Hiking experts say it requires significant mountaineering experience, a good health certificate, good hiking equipment and a trained guide.
One also requires rigorous physical training, a proper diet, and tens of thousands of dollars. For example, the Nepalese Ministry of Tourism charges more than $10,000 per climber.
The average time from arriving at Base Camp to reaching the summit is 40 days, according to Alan Arnett, who summited the mountain in 2011.
He said: “Trying to go without oxygen comes with its own preparations and risks. My body is physically prepared. As for the other risks, I am taking the following measures.”
Image credit: Cheruiyot Kirui | Instagram
“On most climbs, the Sherpas are carrying the heavy stuff, so you are acclimating your body to the higher altitudes,” he says.
“However, you are still carrying a bag weighing 20 pounds (nine kilograms) to 30 pounds (14 kilograms) with personal equipment. The acclimatization process cannot be rushed.”
Reaching the summit of Mount Everest can be risky, especially during seasons of extreme weather conditions.
Along with the thin layers of oxygen in the death zone, there is the risk of low air pressure, snow and ice, with frequent avalanches proven to be among the biggest risk factors.
Sharon Maombo contributed to this report.