Famous climber Ueli Steck dies near Everest

Famous Swiss climber Ueli Steck fell and died while conquering a mountain near Everest - known as the 'roof of the world'.

According to the announcement from the Nepalese authorities, the famous Swiss mountaineer Ueli Steck suddenly slipped and fell from a height of 1000m to the foot of Mount Nuptse on Everest during his journey to conquer the peak. The climber passed away at the age of 40. His body was taken to the capital Kathmandu of Nepal, then to Lukla, which has the only airport in the Everest region.

Officials have not yet determined how Ueli Steck died. But he had planned to climb Mount Everest (8,850m) and nearby Lhotse next month. He is the first casualty of Nepal’s spring climbing season, which begins in March and ends in May.

Portrait of the famous Swiss mountaineer Ueli Steck.

Ueli Steck is one of the most famous mountaineers of his generation. He is famous for his speed climbing, having conquered the north face of the Eiger – an ancient mountain in the Bernese Alps. He set a record by climbing it without ropes in just 2 hours and 47 minutes.

In 2013, this mountaineer also attracted attention when he became the first person to conquer the Annapurna peak in Nepal. This is the 10th highest mountain in the world. Notably, he did not need to use the support of oxygen tanks. After that, he received the "Piolet d'Or" award - considered the Oscar of mountaineering.

In 2015, the Swiss climber decided to climb all 82 peaks of the Alps above 4,000m. He even traveled between the mountains by foot, bicycle and paragliding. After completing the plan in 62 days, he further solidified his title as the “Swiss Machine”.

“Of course I want to climb Everest and Lhotse,” he said in an interview with Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger last month. “That’s a huge goal. If I don’t do it, I’ll die and not come back.”

According to Dantri