Irishman Ian McKeever dies on Mount Kilimanjaro

nimrod86

Irish adventurer Ian McKeever has died on Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
The 42-year-old was leading a group of climbers, including several people from Ireland, when it is believed they were struck by a lightning storm earlier today.
It is understood his fiancée, Anna, was injured.
Mr McKeever was a well-known figure in adventure sports and has attempted several world records, including the Seven Summits Challenge in 2007.
The Department of Foreign Affairs is offering assistance from Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0102/kilimanjaro-tanzania-death.html

I climbed the mountain with him last year, and he was an amazing person, so motivational and inspiring. Climbing the mountain was great, but the trip was made with his stories of his travels. He was also a great charity worker, with over €250,000 being given to Irish charities in 2012 from the Kilimanjaro climbs alone. It's such a great loss to all the people who were planning on climbing with him this summer, myself included, and he certainly will be missed.

Rip Ian

MidlandsM

poor guy, RIP ..he was a fine broadcaster too. Gone too soon.

EdenHazard

Went to my school. R.I.P

Da Shins Kelly

Jesus. That's sad. RIP.

beks101

Ah God, so sorry to hear this.

I used to work in media in Ireland and interviewed him a few times about his many climbs and adventures. He just radiated energy and enthusiasm.

So much accomplished in such a short life, far too short really. Thoughts are with his family and friends.

Eathrin

RIP
Past pupil of my former schools.
Incredibly hard working man, an inspiration.

EdenHazard

Eathrin wrote: »

RIP
Past pupil of my former schools.
Incredibly hard working man, an inspiration.

Clonkeen?

Eathrin

EdenHazard wrote: »

Clonkeen?

Yeah.
I think he visited the school in 2007 after his seven summits record attempt.

Death and Taxes

RIP, I remember him more from his days as a broadcaster with the AA.

The_Kew_Tour

RIP.

Very sad to hear.

Barry Barry

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/climber-killed-kilimanjaro-storm-001659158.html

A well-known Irish climber has been killed in a freak tragedy while scaling Africa's highest mountain.
Ian McKeever, 42, was struck by lightning as he led a group up Mount Kilimanjaro.
It is understood a number of others along with him required medical attention.
The lecturer and broadcaster regularly mentored hikers, including many Irish schoolchildren, to scale the 5,895m-high summit through his Kilimanjaro Achievers organisation. He was from Lough Dan in Co Wicklow.
The latest expedition set off to Tanzania from Ireland on December 28 and began their ascent the day before New Year's Eve. In online updates, Mr McKeever wrote that there was torrential rain but spirits remained high among the hikers. In his final post he said: "We pray for dryer weather tomorrow - the big day. It's the Lava Tower." The Lava Tower is a landmark on the climb.
It is understood he was killed in a lightning storm.
The adventurer was known for many feats, including scaling Mount Everest.
In 2008, he helped his then 10-year-old godson Sean McSharry become the youngest person in Europe to reach the top of Kilimanjaro. Mr McKeever is the former holder of the record for completing the seven highest peaks in the world.
In 2009, he was part of a team that attempted to row the South Atlantic Ocean in under 30 days, but the boat lost its rudder and they were forced to postpone the attempt. More recently he had been attempting, along with African climbing guide friend Samuel Kinsonga, to break the record for the fastest ascent of Kilimanjaro, as part of their anti-racism Black and White Makes Sense Campaign.
He was the author of two books Give Me Shelter and Give Me Heroes and was working on a third book Give Me 28 Days.

DipStick McSwindler

This post has been deleted.

grenache

Just heard. Very sad. Seemed like a really top guy any time I heard him on radio.

RIP

Calibos

IrishFeeney92 wrote: »

Shocking.

Never let a good tragedy get in the way of an obvious pun. So original too. Must have taken ages for you to come up with that one. :rolleyes:

DipStick McSwindler

This post has been deleted.

MidlandsM

IrishFeeney92 wrote: »

4 months 18 days and 14 hours

hmmm, I'm trying hard here to be civil toward you in this response, but to make a pun of the way someone was tragically killed, is cretinous ....

shame on you sir ......

C.K Dexter Haven

RIP Ian

Thoughts with his family, especially his grieving fiancée.

Declan A Walsh

This was shocking news alright. I first remember hearing Ian McKeever doing AARoadwatch on Radio Ireland/Today FM. It was during that period that I first heard of one of his charitable challenges - a cycle around Ireland.

Over the last five or six years, I have heard of his hill-walking and mountaineering achievements, such as the 32-county peaks in Ireland and of course his incredible 7 Peaks Challenge (including Mount Everest).

A couple of years ago I heard Ian doing a few gigs on Dublin's Country Mix 106.8. He was without doubt a fine broadcaster.

Ian was a pretty unique guy and will be sorely missed.

DEFTLEFTHAND

Such a freak thing to occur. Poor chap I've heard nothing but good about him and of course he was part of that very special club of mountaineers who have climbed Everest.

RikkFlair

Very sad, way too young. RIP.

Declan A Walsh

This was shocking news alright. I first remember hearing Ian McKeever doing AARoadwatch on Radio Ireland/Today FM. It was during that period that I first heard of one of his charitable challenges - a cycle around Ireland.

Over the last five or six years, I have heard of his hill-walking and mountaineering achievements, such as the 26-county peaks in Ireland and of course his incredible 7 Peaks Challenge (including Mount Everest).

A couple of years ago, I heard Ian doing a few gigs on Dublin's Country Mix 106.8. He was without doubt a fine broadcaster.

Ian was a pretty unique guy and will be sorely missed.

tightropetom

So will there be an inquest? And before any of the 'duh, what's to investigate, he was hit by lightning' comments - presumably they would still need to look into whether the decision to continue in bad weather was appropriate and whether a thunderstorm was forecast etc and whether the guides made an informed decision, or where the decision to push on came from.