John Hunt, the man who led the British expedition that was the first to climb Mount Everest, has died at age 88.
Hunt died at his home in Henley-on-Thames Saturday night, said his daughter, Sally Nesbitt. The family's announcement on Sunday said only that he died following a brief illness.As leader of the expedition in 1953, Hunt decided it was his responsibility to remain at base camp while Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay of Nepal climbed the last 400 feet to the summit.
Hunt recalled weeping for joy when he heard Hillary boast upon his return from the summit May 29. Hunt said it was the greatest moment of his life, even though there was a sense of personal disappointment.
"It was my ambition just as much as everybody else's in the party to be first at the top," he told the Evening News in 1978.
"I thought about it a lot and concluded that it was important for the leader to be in a position where he could exercise some control if necessary. It did not seem that I could do both."
In fact, Hunt and two other team members made the first attempt but stopped 400 feet short of the summit. They left their equipment and supplies for Hillary and Tenzing to make the second attempt.
Had they failed, Hunt said he was prepared to lead a third assault on the peak.
"He was a great team leader, and he was able to bring people in, myself and Hillary both being New Zealanders, and make us all feel bound together," said expedition member George Lowe.