Japanese climber killed on Nepal mountain

KATMANDU, Nepal (AP) — A Japanese climber attempting to scale the world’s eighth-highest peak slipped and was killed, becoming the first casualty of Nepal’s autumn climbing season, an official said Saturday.

Yoshimasa Sasaki, 59, of Kanagawa, Japan, slipped at an altitude of 7,300 meters (24,000 feet) on his way to Mount Manaslu’s summit Friday evening and fell about 25 meters (82 feet), said Nepalese Tourism Ministry official Yuvraj Shrestha.

Attempts were being made to retrieve the body and bring it to a lower altitude, Shrestha said.

Mount Manaslu, at 8,156 meters (26,759 feet), is the world’s eighth-highest peak.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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