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69 Year-old Double Amputee Summits Everest

A 69 year-old double amputee reached the summit of Mount Everest from the Nepal side on Monday morning, on his fifth attempt to climb the world’s highest peak.

Chinese national Xia Boyu reached the summit at 8:26 a.m. Nepal time, according to a post by his son Cloud Xia on the Chinese messaging platform WeChat.

“My Dad reached Everest at 8:26 Nepal time!!! Has realized his 40 years dream!!!” Cloud wrote.

Boyu lost both of his legs below the knee amputated after suffering frostbite in a failed Everest expedition when he was just 25.

He is being guided by Mingma G. Sherpa, a veteran Nepalese mountaineer, who successfully climbed the world’s 14 highest mountains. There are an additional 11 Sherpas are providing support.

Boyu’s success comes in the wake of the Nepalese government’s failed attempt to ban certain groups of climbers from the mountain.

Boyu lost his legs after he lent a teammate his sleeping bag on his first attempt on Everest in 1975.

In 2014, the climbing season was cancelled due to an avalanche. His attempt in 2015 was also cancelled following a 7.8 earthquake. In 2016, XBoyu got to within 100 metres of the summit when he had to retreat.

New Zealander Mark Inglis was the first double amputee to ever summit Everest from the Tibet side in 2006.

Xia Boyu

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