Kenyan, Nepalese climbers found dead on Mount Everest, Sherpa guide still missing

A Kenyan and Nepalese climber, who was missing for several days, has been found dead near the Everest summit, Everest Base Camp officials have confirmed.

Nepali climber Binod Babu Bastakoti died at Camp IV while descending, and Cheruiyot Kirui, a 40-year-old Kenyan climber, was found by rescuers on the Seven Summits trek just meters below the summit of Mount Everest, according to officials.

The condition of Nawang Sherpa, who accompanied Kenyan climber Kirui to the death zone, is not yet known.

The Kenyan was attempting to climb Everest without supplemental oxygen, but the radio at Bishop Rock had stopped.

An official of the search team said, “Nawang last spoke to base camp officials at Bishop Rock that Kirui refused to return and even refused to consume bottled oxygen, but Showed unusual behavior.”

The Nepalese climber died on Wednesday above Camp IV after suffering from an illness at an altitude of about 8,300 metres, just above Camp IV, while descending from the summit point, the expedition’s organizing company Booking On said. Said Narbin Magar of Pvt. Ltd. Ltd. confirmed.

Earlier on Tuesday, two climbers had fallen near the Hillary Step on Mount Everest.

Daniel Paul Peterson of Britain and Tenji Sherpa near Makalu fell when a section of the route collapsed in the Hillary section below the summit point, according to officials.

Similarly, Gabriel Tabara of Romania was found dead inside his/her tent in Camp III on Tuesday.

Mongolian climbers Usukhjargal Tsedenamba and Prievsuren Lakhagvajaev also died above 8,500 m while descending from the summit point on 13 May.

Cheruiyot Kirui climbed Mount Manaslu (8,163 m) without supplemental oxygen, achieving the feat in September 2023 as the first African to climb a peak above 8,000 m without supplemental oxygen. his/her other notable climbs include several steep climbs of Mount Kilimanjaro (5,895 m), where he/she completed the round trip in just 15 hours. Kirui has climbed Mount Kenya (5,199 m) more than 20 times, and has set course records on three of its main routes.