The body of a Kenyan climber who died on Mount Everest last week will remain on the mountain where he died, his family said.
Joshua Cheruiyot Kirui died during a daring mission to reach the summit of Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen.
The 40-year-old climber fell into a crevasse about 48 meters below the 8,849-meter peak, along with his Nepalese guide.
Kirui’s family said that recovering his body from such a high altitude would be too risky for the rescue team.
Climbing Everest, the highest peak in the world, is considered extremely difficult and risky, even for experienced climbers.
Kirui was trying to become the first African to climb Mount Everest without extra oxygen, accompanied by Nepali climber Nawang Sherpa.
Mr. Sherpa is still missing.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Kirui’s family said they had made the “difficult” decision to lay his remains to rest on the mountain after extensive consultation and “careful consideration of all the circumstances”.
“Recovering his body from that height would be risky for the rescue team, the family does not want to put any lives in danger,” he said.
“Cheruiyot had a deep love for the mountains and they loved him back. We find comfort in knowing he is resting in his happy place,” he added.
The family, however, said there would be funeral services in the capital, Nairobi, and in their village of Chepterit in the Rift Valley region.
There were also concerns about the cost of retrieving his body for burial at home.
It would have cost around $190,000 (£150,000) to recover the body and it would have taken around eight people to climb the mountain to carry out the mission.
Most families who lose loved ones on Everest prefer to leave them there.
The bodies of nearly 200 of the 330 climbers who died on the world’s highest mountain are estimated to remain there.
The climb by Kirui, a banker, was closely watched in Kenya, and other climbers posted frequent updates about the attempt online.
Before his fatal climb, Kirui told the BBC he had undergone extensive physical preparations ahead of the challenge.
In his latest Instagram post, he expressed confidence that he could conquer Everest without additional oxygen.
However, he told the BBC he had emergency oxygen support from Mr Sherpa and emergency evacuation cover in case he ran into difficulties.
Most people climb Everest in April and May, when weather conditions are most favorable.
Four climbers have reportedly died so far this season, which ends in a few days.
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