Mountaineer dies in attempt to be 1st African to climb Mount Everest without extra oxygen

Joshua Cheruiyot Kirui, a 40-year-old Kenyan mountaineer, has tragically died while attempting to become the first African to climb Mount Everest without supplementary oxygen.

Kirui went missing on Wednesday, along with his Nepali guide, 44-year-old Nawang Sherpa. The search team has since recovered Kirui’s body, but Sherpa remains missing.

Reports indicate that shortly before contact was lost, Sherpa informed base camp officials that Kirui was displaying “abnormal behaviour” and had “refused to return and even consume bottled oxygen.”

It is also rumoured that Kirui’s death resulted from a fall. The mountaineer’s family and friends are currently seeking clarity on his final wishes regarding burial, whether to leave him on Everest or repatriate his body to Kenya—a process that would cost approximately $190,000.

Kirui had shared his rigorous preparations for the challenge, including climbing Manaslu, the world’s eighth-highest mountain, in September 2023. His training regimen also involved extensive local climbs in Kenya, stair climbs, gym workouts, and running. Despite his confidence, he carried emergency oxygen and evacuation cover, understanding the dangers involved.

In his last Instagram post, Kirui expressed his belief in his ability to summit Everest without additional oxygen. His passing has deeply affected the Kenyan mountain climbing community, with fellow mountaineer James Muhia, who had been updating followers on Kirui’s progress, expressing sorrow on X (formerly Twitter). Muhia, who had climbed Manaslu with Kirui last year, had previously vouched for his friend’s preparedness and resilience.

Kirui is the fourth climber to die on Everest this week. A Romanian climber and a British climber along with his Nepalese guide were also found dead on Tuesday, highlighting the perilous nature of attempting to conquer the world’s highest peak.

Mount Everest, known as Sagarmatha in Nepal and Chomolungma in Tibet, is the Earth’s highest mountain above sea level, with its peak rising to an elevation of 8,848.86 meters (29,031.7 feet). It is part of the Himalayan range in Asia and straddles the border between Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.

Here are some key points about Mount Everest:

Geography and Geology
Location: Everest is located in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas. The international border between Nepal and China runs across its summit point.

Formation: The mountain was formed about 60 million years ago as a result of the collision between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates.

Climbing History
First Ascent: Sir Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay, a Sherpa of Nepal, made the first confirmed ascent to the summit on May 29, 1953.

Routes: The two most popular routes are the Southeast Ridge from Nepal and the North Ridge from Tibet. The Southeast Ridge route is considered to be technically easier and more frequently used.

Climbing Challenges
Altitude: The extreme altitude of Everest poses significant risks such as acute mountain sickness, hypoxia (lack of oxygen), and high-altitude cerebral and pulmonary edema.

Weather: The weather can be extremely unpredictable with strong winds, sub-zero temperatures, and sudden storms.

Technical Difficulties: Climbing involves navigating through icefalls, crevasses, and steep rock faces.

Environmental and Ethical Concerns
Pollution: The increasing number of climbers has led to pollution issues on Everest, including human waste, discarded climbing gear, and trash.

Deaths: Over 300 climbers have died on Everest since the first attempt to summit in 1921. The “death zone” above 8,000 meters is particularly dangerous due to the lack of oxygen.

Sherpa Contributions: Sherpas, an ethnic group from the mountainous regions of Nepal, play a crucial role in guiding climbers and setting up ropes and ladders, often at great personal risk.

Records and Notable Climbers
Youngest Climbers: The youngest person to reach the summit is Jordan Romero from the USA, who summited at the age of 13 in 2010.

Oldest Climbers: The oldest climber to reach the summit is Yuichiro Miura of Japan, who did so at the age of 80 in 2013.

Speed Records: Various speed records have been set, including by Sherpa climber Lakpa Gelu, who completed the ascent in 10 hours and 56 minutes in 2003.

Mount Everest continues to be a symbol of human endurance and adventure, attracting climbers from around the world who seek to conquer its formidable peak.