KATHMANDU: Prime Minister Sushila Karki has expressed deep sorrow over the demise of Kanchha Sherpa, a member of the first successful Mount Everest expedition team.

Sherpa passed away on Thursday at the age of 92 at his residence in Kapan, Kathmandu.

Extending heartfelt condolences and sympathy to the bereaved family, Prime Minister Karki said that the nation has lost not only an eyewitness to a historic ascent but also a living heritage.

In her message shared on social media, the Prime Minister wrote that for more than seven decades, Sherpa had shared his first-hand experience of what was then considered a landmark achievement for humankind with younger generations.

She further noted that in recent years, Sherpa had become increasingly concerned about the visible impacts of climate change in the Himalayas.

“Working sensitively to address those issues would be the truest tribute to him — a responsibility that now lies with all of us,” the Prime Minister added.

In the historic 1953 Everest expedition, Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa successfully reached the summit of Mount Everest. Kanchha Sherpa had served as a porter in that team and had climbed above 8,000 meters during the expedition.

Having worked in the mountaineering field for nearly two decades, Kanchha Sherpa was the last surviving member of that pioneering Everest team.