Sir Ranulph Fiennes abandons Everest climb due to exhaustion, begins

British explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes has abandoned his bid to climb Mount Everest at the age of 64 due to exhaustion.

Fiennes attempted the ascent to the summit despite suffering from heart problems and prostate cancer but he was forced to turn back and began his descent Friday night.

He is best known for his polar expeditions.

Fiennes had last tried the climb in 2005 but suffered a heart attack as he neared the summit and had to be rushed to hospital.

The climb was designed to raise money for the Marie Curie Cancer Care foundation to honour his wife and sister who both died of cancer.

But officials said today that Fiennes had not been able to complete his climb of the South Col route from Nepal used by Sir Edmund Hillary in 1953.

Via canadianpress