KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 16

Kancha Sherpa, the last living member of the 1953 British Mount Everest Expedition that made the first successful ascent of the world's highest peak, passed away early Thursday morning at his residence in Kapan, Kathmandu. He was 92.

According to his son Tshering Sherpa, Kancha Sherpa breathed his last at around 2:00 am. He had spent his final days in his ancestral home in Namche Bazaar, the gateway to Everest.

'We are deeply saddened by the passing of Mr. Kanchha Sherpa, the last surviving member of the first successful summit of Mount Everest in 1953. The Nepali tourism industry mourns the loss of this historic and legendary figure. His absence leaves an irreplaceable void,' said Fur Gelje Sherpa, President of the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA).

'In this time of grief, we pray for his soul to rest in eternal peace, and for the Almighty to grant strength to his family and loved ones to bear this big loss. He will be dearly missed.'

Born in 1932 in Namche, Ang Phurba 'Kancha' Sherpa began his mountaineering journey at the age of 19, when he ran away from home to Darjeeling in search of work. There, he met Tenzing Norgay, who recognized him as the son of a fellow mountaineer from the 1952 Everest expedition from Tibet. Impressed by his dedication, Tenzing helped him join Sir Edmund Hillary's 1953 expedition as one of 103 Sherpas, earning five rupees a day.

Kancha Sherpa continued to work on mountaineering expeditions until 1973, before retiring at the request of his wife. He later worked with trekking groups, guiding trekkers through the Himalaya without venturing to extreme altitudes.

In a past interview recalling the historic climb, Kancha shared that around 400 Nepali porters carried loads for 16 days to reach Namche, from where only local Sherpas and yaks transported supplies to Everest Base Camp, a six-day trek.

He is survived by his wife Ang Lhakpa Sherpa, four sons, two daughters, eight grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter.