Tributes pour in for Cheruiyot Kirui, Kenyan mountaineer who died on Everest

Tributes continue to pour in for Joshua Cheruiyot Kirui, a Kenyan mountaineer and dedicated banker who tragically passed away on May 23, 2024, while summiting Mt Everest, the highest mountain in the world.

Principal Secretary of Foreign Affairs Korir Sing'Oei expressed his deep sorrow in a statement on Thursday.

"Kirui, my friend and banker at KCB, visited my office before he embarked on his adventure to Nepal. I had been following his journey closely until this unfortunate end. He had a fearless, audacious spirit and represented the indomitable will that inspires us all," he said.

KCB Group, where Kirui worked as a Senior Relationship Manager in the Schemes, Mortgage Division, also mourned his loss.

"We are deeply saddened by his passing," read a statement from the company. "Kirui was a dedicated member of our team, a committed employee, and a passionate athlete and mountaineer."

Kirui made history by becoming the second Kenyan to ever summit Mt Everest. His unwavering passion for mountaineering and indomitable will led him to conquer some of the world's most awe-inspiring landscapes, including Mt Manaslu.

Paul Russo, KCB Group Chief Executive Officer, paid a heartfelt tribute to Kirui. "Kirui was a true Kenyan hero and KCB ambassador. He was a rare professional banker who carried Kenya's and Africa's flags to global heights with his mountaineering pursuits. He remains an icon and an inspiration to many."

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Kirui was known for his dedication and passion for mountaineering, a sport he pursued both locally and internationally. His adventures and achievements have inspired many, and his legacy will continue to live on.

Forty-year-old Kirui and his Nepali guide, Nawang Sherpa, 44, disappeared on Wednesday during Kirui's bid to become the first African to climb Mt Everest without supplemental oxygen. The guide is yet to be found by the search team deployed to locate the pair, a local tourism official told AFP news agency.

Climbing Everest is extremely difficult and risky, even for experienced climbers. According to the Nepalese newspaper The Himalayan Times, Sherpa had informed the base camp that Kirui showed "abnormal behaviour" and "refused to return and even consume bottled oxygen."

Contact with the duo was lost shortly after this message, base camp officials told the paper.

Kirui's close hiking friend, Kipkemoi Limo, told the BBC that he died from a fall. He added that his family and friends are enquiring whether Kirui gave consent to be buried on Everest or whether he wished for his body to be repatriated to Kenya, which will cost $190,000 (£150,000).

Kenyan Mountaineer Cheruiyot Kirui ascends Mt Everest in April 2024. (Photo/Cheruiyot Kirui)

Last week, Kirui told the BBC that he had undergone extensive physical preparations ahead of the challenge, with his descent planned for Wednesday.

"The major preparation was climbing Manaslu, the eighth highest mountain in the world, in September 2023," he wrote in an email to the BBC.

"However, I've been climbing locally in Kenya, many stair climbs, gym workouts, and running as specific preparation. Also, for 10 years I've climbed, and ran marathons and ultra-marathons, which adds to the general preparations."

In his latest Instagram post, Kirui expressed confidence that he could conquer Everest without additional oxygen.

However, he told the BBC that he had emergency oxygen support from Sherpa and an emergency evacuation cover in case he ran into difficulties.

News of his death has hit the Kenyan mountain climbing community hard. "Our brother now rests on the mountain. It's been a long night," fellow Kenyan mountaineer James Muhia, who had been sharing regular updates about Kirui's attempt, said on X .

In an earlier post, Muhia backed Kirui to complete the climb, saying he was properly equipped, physically capable, resilient, and well-trained. He told the BBC that he had joined Kirui at last year's summit of Manaslu.

Kirui's death is the fourth recorded on Everest this week.