The family of Kenyan mountaineer Joshua Cheruiyot Kirui has decided to leave his body on Mount Everest instead of attempting a dangerous and costly retrieval process.

They made this decision after careful consideration and consultations, taking into account the risks involved in bringing his body down from the mountain, according to information provided by fellow Kenyan mountaineer James Muhia.

The family did not want to risk anyone's life by attempting to retrieve his body from the crevasse he fell into, which was about 48 metres from the world's highest point.

The family finds comfort in knowing that Kirui will remain in a place he cherished deeply, surrounded by the mountains he loved.

The family intends to hold a memorial service in Nairobi and Chepterit village, with details to be announced soon.

Forty-year-old Joshua Cheruiyot Kirui and his Nepali guide Nawang Sherpa, 44, disappeared on Wednesday during Mr Kirui's bid to become the first African to climb Mt Everest without extra oxygen.

Everest Today, an organization that documents mountaneering events in the Himalayas, said Kirui will be honoured by naming the spot at which he died after him. 

This, it said, is in recognition of his exploits as the first African to almost summit Mt Everest without using supplementary oxygen.