A BRITISH climber and her guide have died after “slipping on ice” as the pair attempted to descend Mount Kenya.
Shilpa Shah, 60, from London, fell to her death as her guide attempted to grab her, before both tragically slid over the cliff edge.
AlamyA British woman and a guide died after slipping while descending Mount Kenya[/caption]
The pair were returning from a successful hike to Point Lenana, the mountain’s third-highest summit.
They plunged several hundred metres from a steep stretch between Lenana and the Austrian Hut on the Naro Moru route – one of the most popular among hikers.
Bad weather forced rescuers to make three attempts to rescue the bodies of Shah and her guide, Kelvin Muriuki Mwithi, on Friday.
Shah was reportedly one of eight in an all-women group of climbers who also witnessed the horror fall as they battled the notoriously snowy slope.
Her body has now been flown to the capital, Nairobi.
A spokesperson for the Foreign Office said: “We are supporting the family of a British woman who has died in Kenya and are in contact with local authorities”.
Colleagues of Mwithi have also set up a fund to help support his wife and young child.
Robert Kamura, who helped organise the fund, said on Facebook: “My friend has rested.
“Our hearts are broken. May his soul transition to the afterlife peacefully.
“He always wore a smile and was an incredibly kind and positive human”.
October falls in the rainy season in Kenya which can cause the mountain conditions to become incredibly dangerous.
Although the Naro Moru route requires little technical climbing experience and the terrain is fit for beginners, a steep slushy stretch known as the “vertical bog” is challenging.
Mount Kenya is also sacred for many people who live in the area surrounding the mountain.
For the Kikuyu people, Kenya’s largest ethic group, the apex of Mount Kenya is the home of their God.
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