A Kenyan mountaineer named Joshua Cheruiyot Kirui, who went missing near the summit of Mount Everest, has been found dead.

The 40-year-old was attempting to summit Everest without supplementary oxygen, along with his 44-year-old Nepali guide Nawang Sherpa.

Contact was lost after the guide reported that Kirui was exhibiting “abnormal behaviour” and refusing to return or use bottled oxygen.

Kirui had extensive mountaineering experience, including climbing Manaslu (the eighth highest mountain) in 2023 and years of climbing, running marathons, and training.

However, summiting Everest without supplemental oxygen is considered extremely difficult and risky.

Kirui’s death is the fourth recorded on Everest this week, with a Romanian climber and a British climber with a Nepali guide also found dead on Tuesday.

The search continues for Kirui’s guide, Nawang Sherpa, who has not yet been located.

“I had undergone extensive physical preparations ahead of the challenge, with his descent planned for Wednesday. The major/specific preparation was climbing Manaslu, the eighth highest mountain in the world in 2023 September,” Kirui wrote in an email to BBC last week.

He said that he has been climbing in Kenya and performing actions such as climbing stairs, working out, and running.

“However I’ve been climbing locally in Kenya, many stair climbs, gym workouts, and running as specific preparation, expressing confidence in his preparations.

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