Second-oldest woman to climb Mount Everest dies during descent

A 63-year-old Japanese woman has died on Mount Everest after becoming the second-oldest woman to conquer the world's highest peak, a Tokyo-based firm which organised her climb revealed.

Shoko Ota, 63, fell unconscious Thursday 350 metres (1,150 feet) from the top of the 8,850-metre peak after a fall broken by her safety rope, the Adventures Guide tour company said in a statement Friday.

Her team leader reported that Ota's heart had stopped beating and he later confirmed she had died.

Ota's family urged the remaining five climbers to leave her body which was still hanging by the rope and continue their descent, saying their safety was the top priority. Japan's Kyodo News Agency said an attempt would be made to recover the body on Friday.

Ota started climbing mountains when she was about 40 and conquered Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's tallest mountain, in 2001, according to Kyodo

felt so ashamed of myself after hearing this.. but its still sad.