Kenyan climber Cheruiyot Kirui found dead on Mt Everest

A 40-year-old Kenyan climber has died near the summit of Mount Everest, officials announced on Thursday, May 23.

The research and rescue team deployed by Seven Summit Treks found the body of Kirue Joshua Cheruiyot in the stretch between the summit and the Hilary Step, while his climbing guide Nawang Sherpa 44, remains missing.

The Everest Chronicles reports, that the duo had been out of contact since late Tuesday.

Earlier, officials had said that the research and rescue team had found two bodies but it turned out to be a miscommunication, officials say.

“We have received a report that the research and rescue team have found the body of the Kenyan climber, while his guide remains missing. The search for him is going on,” said Khimlal Gautam, Chief of the Expedition Monitoring and Facilitation Field Office of the Department of Tourism at the base camp.

Sherpa rescuers recovered Kirui’s body late on Wednesday at about 19 metres (62 feet) below the 8,849-metre peak, Nepal’s Department of Tourism said.

Cheruiyot and Sherpa were part of the Seven Summit Treks.

The latest death comes as officials continue the search for British climber Daniel Paul Paterson, 40, and his Sherpa guide Pas Tenji Sherpa, 23, who have been missing in the same area.

With this latest death, the total fatalities on Mount Everest have reached three, with an additional death reported on Mount Lhotse, which shares the same route. This makes more than 335 climbers death records out of 7000 climbers over the years.