Kenyan mountaineer and banker Joshua Cheruiyot Kirui met his untimely death while pursuing his dream of climbing Mt Everest without supplemental oxygen.
Kirui was confirmed dead on May 23, 2024, after he was earlier reported missing while scaling the heights of Mt Everest which summits at 8,849 meters.
Cheruiyot was found dead with organizers saying that his body was discovered a few meters below the Everest summit point.
Officials from Nepal’s Seven Summit Treks (SST) mountaineering company reportedly lost contact with Kirui and his guide at Bishop Rock, located at an altitude of 8,000 meters.
Everest today, a publication that updates news about Mt Everest hiking confirmed the passing on of the mountaineer in a statement mourning him as a dream chaser.
Cheruiyot Found Dead at Mt Everest
According to Everest Today, Kirui who was a banker working with the Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) went missing with his guide Sherpa.
“With profound sadness, we share the news of Kenyan mountaineer Cheruiyot Kirui’s passing on Mt Everest. His body was found a few meters below the summit point of Mt Everest.
Also Read: Kenyan Climber Confirmed Dead After Going Missing on Mt Everest
He was on a daring mission to reach the summit without supplementary oxygen and was accompanied by a Nepali climber Nawang Sherpa, whose fate is still unknown (was missing with him).
His indomitable will and passion for mountaineering will forever be an inspiration. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends during this time of sorrow. Rest in peace, Cheruiyot, ” posted Everest Today.
Everest which is located across the China-Nepal border and is Earth’s highest mountain has an elevation of 8,848.86 meters above sea level.
The mountain’s summit has approximately one-third the air pressure that exists at sea level which significantly reduces a climber’s ability to breathe in enough oxygen.
Because of this, scientists have determined that the human body is not capable of remaining indefinitely above 6,000 meters.
However, the mountaineer dared to overcome this phenomenon in his quest to test the limitations of the human body.
Profile of Joshua Cheruiyot Kirui
Besides from hiking Cheruiyot was a professional banker who was working for the KCB Bank as a Senior Relationship Manager Eldoret Branch.
According to his profile, he was a Corporate Banking Specialist at KCB Bank working full time from October 2012.
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He has also worked as a Professional Associate Professional Risk Manager (APRM).
KCB Bank Group back in 2023 had congratulated him for scaling new heights and being the first African to summit Mt. Manaslu at an altitude of 8,163 without supplemental oxygen and with the support of his guide Sherpa, fulfilling his childhood dream of many years.
“KCB Bank is proud to be associated with you and grateful for carrying the Kenyan flag high to the international scene. We believe that this achievement will inspire other Kenyan and African mountaineers to break other records in the future,” said KCB in a statement.
Former Classmate Mourns Him
The Kenya Times spoke to a former classmate of Kirui who was a First-Class Honors graduate of Maseno University
In an interview with to The Kenya Times, Dr Mukwana Juma Issa confirmed that he attended school together with Kirui at Maseno University where they graduated in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences.
He remembered him as a humble man who loved sporting events, reggae music and was always informed on current global news.
“Kirui was a cool guy, ever smiling and a go getter who strived to achieve and apply full focus on everything that he set his eyes to. When he was focused on something he had to get it,” he said.
Dr Mukhwana also remembered him as a person who liked games and sports such as chess, football, marathon running and cycling.
According to him, Cheruiyot started cycling while back on campus and went on to continue with the sport after he was employed at KCB Bank.
While highlighting his mountaineering career, he noted that the late Kirui always updated them on his achievements and Mountains that he had scaled.
“In our alumni WhatsApp group he always posted photos of him climbing different mountains such as Mt Kenya and Mt Kilimanjaro. Even before he pursued his dream of climbing Mt Everest, he had updated us about his journey,” added Dr Mukhwana.
Besides being a social person, Kirui’s former classmate said that the late always led a private life and no details were known about his personal life.
Daring Quest
Back on April 19, Kirui while embarking on the daring quest to attempt a summit of Everest without the use of supplemental oxygen acknowledged the challenge he was about to face.
“Climbing Everest has been done before. I think the only difference is what I’m trying to do, climbing without supplemental oxygen. That has not been done by any African. It’s the tough way to climb Mt Everest,” he told reporters.
He said that it was riskier than climbing with supplemental oxygen adding that one needed to be extremely fit.
According to him, the success rate of achieving the summit the earth’s highest mountain above sea level without supplemental oxygen is less than 40 per cent.
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