'Legendary' climber dies on Mount Everest

'Legendary' climber dies on Mount Everest
'Legendary' climber dies on Mount Everest

A legendary Swiss climber has been killed on Mount Everest.

Ueli Steck, 40, also known as the 'Swiss Machine', died in an accident while acclimatising for an attempt on Everest without oxygen in an new route.

His body has been recovered and flown to Kathmandu.

See also: British woman and boyfriend caught in avalanche near Everest

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Mr Steck reached Mount Everest's summit in 2012 without oxygen, and, in 2015, he climbed all 82 Alpine peaks over 4,000m in 62 days.

The BBC reports that the British Mountaineering Council described him as a "legendary mountaineer and all-round great guy".

According to the Telegraph, Steck was best known for his speed-climbing, setting several records for ascending the north face of the Eiger, managing two hours and 47 minutes without a rope.

In 2013 he achieved the first solo climb of the Annapurna south face in Nepal and later the next year received the "Piolet d'Or" – considered the Oscar of mountaineering – for the feat.

He was in Nepal to climb the 8,850 metre Everest and nearby Mount Lhotse next month. The expedition would have involved a quick climb from one peak to the other, and an overnight stay in the "death zone".

Speaking about the expedition, he said: "Of course I want to climb Everest and Lhotse. But that's a very high goal. Failure for me would be to die and not come home."

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