Japanese climber with one finger to ascend Everest again this week

Kathmandu

A Japanese climber with only one finger, who failed on the weekend to reach the top of Mount Everest in his latest attempt, will try again within days, expedition organisers said Monday.

Nobukazu Kuriki, who lost nine fingers to frostbite in 2012 on Everest, is the only climber trying to summit the world's highest mountain this year after a quake-triggered avalanche killed 18 people at base camp.

The April disaster saw hundreds of climbers abandon their bids to ascend the 8,848-metre (29,029-foot) peak, marking a second spring season with virtually no one reaching the summit.

An avalanche in 2014 that killed 16 Nepali guides also sparked a shutdown that year.

The 33-year-old Kuriki, who was on his fifth attempt to climb Everest, descended in the early hours of Sunday fearing he would not return alive if he kept climbing.

"He is staying at base camp for a few days but will try again for the summit starting October 1st," said Tikaram Gurung, managing director of Bochi-Bochi Trek, which is handling Kuriki's expedition.

"He is in good physical condition and experienced no major problems on the climb," Gurung said.

Kuriki will climb solo from base camp, in contrast to his earlier attempt when a six-person support team accompanied him to Camp 2 at a height of 6,400 metres, he said.

"He will use no bottled oxygen on his climb," Gurung added.