Mountaineer James Muhia is among mountaineers and Kenyans mourning the death of Cheruiyot Kirui, a Kenyan who died while exploring Mount Everest.

In a heartfelt message posted on his X account, Muhia noted that he was so disturbed by the sudden death of his colleague, Kirui.

“I have found myself shedding tears this morning after confirmation that my brother Cheruiyot has rested on the mountain. 

“No one can ever understand the heart and the mind of a mountaineer. The drive that takes us to some places. It is a sad day. Our brother is now one with the mountain,” Muhia explained.

Muhia added that the last time he shed tears was on the morning of 1st June 2011 when his elder brother called to inform him about the death of his father.

He noted that it was such a difficult time for the bereaved family and the entire mountaineering fraternity.

This was after Cheruiyot Kirui, a renowned Kenyan mountaineer, was reported missing above 8,000 meters on Mount Everest since Wednesday morning.

His body, according to Everest Today, was found a few metres below the summit point of Mt Everest.

Kirui had embarked on a daring quest to summit the world’s highest peak without supplemental oxygen, adding to his impressive list of achievements in the world of mountaineering and ultra-running.

Before his death, Cheruiyot Kirui summited Mt. Manaslu (8,163m) without supplemental oxygen in September 2023, becoming the first African to achieve this feat on a peak above 8,000 meters.

He is also known for multiple speed climbs of Mt. Kilimanjaro (5,895m), including completing the ascent and descent in just 15 hours.

Additionally, he has a record of over 20 ascents of Mt. Kenya, setting course records on the three main routes, including a remarkable time of 2 hours and 56 minutes on the Sirimon route from Old Moses to Lenana Summit.