The family of the late Kenyan mountaineer Joshua Cheruiyot has explained why they were forced to leave his body on Mt Everest.
The family of late Kenyan mountaineer Joshua Cheruiyot Kirui has decided to let his body remain on Mt Everest.
In a statement released to the public on Wednesday, May 29, his family had wide consultations and concluded that the body of the late Cheruiyot remains on the mountain.
The statement also noted that he loved the mountains and they loved him back in return, and that would be a great way of honouring the late Kirui. They added that retrieving the body had proved to be a costly affair and it is also risky and they did not want to endanger the lives of the rescue team and lead to any more deaths.
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"Following the death of Joshua Cheruiyot Kirui on Mt Everest on May 22, 2024, the family has made the difficult decision to let his body remain on Mt Everest," the statement read in part.
“This decision was made after extensive consultations and careful consideration of all circumstances. Retrieving his body from that high up would be risky for the rescue team, the family does not wish to endanger any life.
“Cheruiyot had a profound love for the mountains, and they loved him in return. We find solace in knowing he rests in his happy place,” the statement read in part.
The family added that there will be a memorial service in Nairobi and Chepterit village with the dates, venue and time of the same to be communicated at a later date.
They also extended a hand of gratitude to everyone that shared a condolence message from relatives, friends and the outdoor community.
Meanwhile, Cheruiyot had embarked on a journey to conquer Mt Everest, the world’s highest mountain, but unfortunately died on May 22, 2024, while on the daring mission to reach the summit of the mountain without supplementary oxygen. His body was found 48 meters below the summit after he and his Nepali guide took a fall.
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Kirui, who had embarked on the formidable challenge of summiting Everest without supplementary oxygen, disappeared alongside his Nepali guide Nawang Sherpa on Wednesday.
If he had successfully managed to achieve his goal, he would have been the first African to reach the summit of the mountain which is 8,849 metres.