Nepal mountaineer, trying to reclaim title of world’s oldest climber, dies while ascending Mt Everest

Sherchan, who began his journey from Kathmandu on April 16, died at 5.14 pm local time while climbing.

Nepal mountaineer, Nepal climber, world's oldest climber, Min Bahadur Sherchan, Oldest climber dies, Mount Everest climber dies, Mount Everest, World news, Indian Express

Nepalese mountain climber Min Bahadur Sherchan, 85, smiles as he finishes his morning yoga workout at his residence in Kathmandu, Nepal. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha, File)

Min Bahadur Sherchan, an 86-year-old mountaineer from Nepal, died on Saturday while attempting to scale Mount Everest. He was on a mission to reclaim his title of the world’s oldest climber, which was taken from him by Japanese climber Yuichiro Miura. Sherchan made it to the Guinness Book of World Records after successfully ascending the 8,848-metre peak at the age of 76 in 2008, but his title was lost to Miura, who scaled the peak at the age of 80 in 2013.

“I have a lot of respect for Yuichiro Miura after he beat my record,” Sherchan had said prior to his journey, reported mirror.co.uk. “But I am still fit and eager to reach the top of the mountain again and get my title back.” He was the grandfather of 17, and the great-grandfather of six, the website reported.

“I want to be the oldest person to scale Everest again to be an inspiration for people around the world,” Sherchan had said, reported news agency PTI. “I may be old in terms of age but I still have young courage. I will reach the peak of Everest come what may,” he had said. Sherchan had made an attempt to embark on the journey in 2015 as well, but his efforts were stalled due to the earthquake at base camp.

Sherchan, who began his journey from Kathmandu on April 16, died at 5.14 pm local time while climbing near base camp, the Himalayan Times reported. According to his campaign coordinator Jit Bahadur Gharti Magar, apart from his ambition to be the world’s oldest climber, Sherchan was also climbing the Everest to protect Earth and for the cause of world peace, reported PTI.

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