Leading Greek mountaineer Antonis Sykaris has died in the Himalayas, a post on his instagram account announced on Tuesday morning.
“Unfortunately the worst that could happen during a mountaineering expedition happened,” the post said.
“It’s the worst thing that can happen to a mountaineering expedition. Antonis lost his life while descending from the top. At an altitude of 7,400m very close to camp3 at 4:00 in the morning Nepal time after a huge physical and mental effort and lack of additional oxygen/.”
His shocked colleagues in Greece suggest that he probably died of lung oedema.
The expedition to the Dhaulagiri Mountain, the seventh highest mountain in the world (8.167m) was Sykaris’ fourth effort for the “crone of Himalayas” as he posted on social media on March 18, a few days before he left Athens.
Αποστολή στο ‘βουνό των Ελλήνων’, στο Dhaulagiri 8.167m στις
24 Μαρτίου 2022 . – Ο Αντώνης Συκάρης αναχωρεί από την Ελλάδα για την Kathmandu, την πρωτεύουσα του Nepal. Λίγες ημέρες αργότερα θα ξεκινήσει η 4η ορειβατική του προσπάθεια με στόχο το στέμμα των. Ιμαλάια 14χ8.000μ pic.twitter.com/LKoMAruw5H— Antonis Sykaris (@AntoniosSykaris) March 18, 2022
His last post from the mountains he loved till the end was on April 11. IN an audio recording he said: “Today, 11. April 2022, at 12:50 Nepal time, I am on the top of Dhaulagiri, 8.167 m.” He thanked all his supporters for making one more of his dreams come true.
Tragic irony: He said he dedicated his achievement to two other Greek climbers who had lost their lives in the world’s highest mountains.
60-year-old Sykaris was the first and only Greek who has climbed 5×8.000m
🚩Everest 8.848m
🚩Kangchenjunga 8.586m
🚩Manaslu 8.163m
🚩Lhotse 8.516m
🚩Annapurna 8.091m
