Min Bahadur Sherchan, 86, Dies on Mount Everest

Min Bahadur Sherchan, one of the oldest climbers to ascend Mount Everest, has died at Everest base camp at the age of 86.

The former British Gurkha was hoping to reclaim the title of oldest person to stand on the top of the the world’s highest mountain.

Born in June 1931 in western Nepal, Sherchan climbed Everest in 2008 at the age of 76, becoming the oldest climber to reach the summit.

Five years later, Japanese mountaineer Yuichiro Miura took the title of oldest Everest summiteer after reaching the top at 80.

Last week, famed Swiss alpinist Ueli Steck lost his life in an accident in the Everest region. He died after falling off Nuptse while acclimatizing for his project of traversing Everest and Lhotse without bottled oxygen.

“I am okay and doing very well here to achieve the goal,” Sherchan told friends over satellite phone from base camp the morning he passed. The cause of his death is yet to be revealed.

Shiva Bahadur Sapkota, who was with him, said the veteran felt fine through the icefall section during acclimatization. “He always stood dedicated and committed to the world peace and humanity,” Sapkota recalled.

Sherchan started his climbing career in 1960 with a successful ascent of Mount Dhaulagiri.