Kanchha Sherpa, the last survivor of the first successful ascent of Everest, dies at 92.

Kanchha Sherpa, the last surviving member of the British expedition that first summited Mount Everest in 1953, died at the age of 92 at his home in Kapan, a neighborhood of Kathmandu, Nepal, in the early hours of October 16, according to local media. His death closes a historic chapter in mountaineering .

Born in 1933 in Namche Bazar, the gateway to Everest, Kanchha was just 19 when he joined the team led by Colonel John Hunt. He was one of 35 members of the expedition that took Sherpa Tenzing Norgay and New Zealander Edmund Hillary to the 8,848-meter summit , the world's highest peak, on May 29, 1953.

As a high-altitude porter, Kanchha made it to the final camp, at over 7,900 metres, in the dangerous 'death zone', and although he decided not to reach the summit, influenced by his wife's fears , his work was crucial: he carried tents, food and equipment during the two weeks on the way to Base Camp.

Kanchha, the son of a mountaineer who had previously attempted to climb Everest from the Tibetan side, dedicated his life to leading expeditions in the Himalayas until the age of 50. In recent interviews, Kanchha criticized the overcrowding and littering currently plaguing the mountain .

He is survived by his wife, Ang Lhakpa Sherpa, four sons, two daughters, eight grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter, according to the Himalayan Times . With his passing, the last direct witness to the feat that marked a milestone in the history of exploration has passed away.