Japanese climber who lost nine fingers in 2012 Everest attempt abandons fresh bid for summit because he ‘wouldn’t come back alive’

A Japanese climber who was attempting the first summit of Mount Everest since a deadly quake-triggered avalanche destroyed part of base camp in April has abandoned his bid

 Thirty-three year-old Nobukazu Kuriki, who lost nine fingers to frostbite during a 2012 attempt to climb Everest, was the only mountaineer pursuing the summit this year after an avalanche set off by a massive quake killed 18 people at base camp.

 The disaster saw hundreds of climbers abandon their bids to ascend the 8,848-metre peak, marking a second spring season with virtually no one reaching the summit.

 The deaths of 16 Nepali guides in an avalanche in 2014 sparked a shutdown that year.

 It was Kuriki’s fifth attempt to climb the world’s highest mountain.