DONEGAL mountaineer Jason Black suffered a debilitating ankle injury that derailed his bid to scale the world’s highest peak Mount Everest for a second time.
But the fearless climber made sure his team reached the top of the world yesterday (Wednesday) on day 47 after beginning their ascent on April 1.
Jason, who first summited Mt Everest in May 2013, announced on social media: “History has been made on the slopes of Mount Everest.
“Led by expedition leader and mountaineer, Jason Black, Team Ireland has successfully reached the highest point on Earth.
“This marks the first time in more than 20 years that a full Irish team has stood together on the summit of Everest.”
Donegal mountaineer Jason Black. Credit: jasonblackmountaineering
Jason, pictured, added: “What a day to be Irish. We hope we have done Ireland proud.
“This is an example that if you dream big, believe in yourself, and never be afraid to chase what’s in your heart, you can achieve anything in this world.
“I am so, so proud of those lads up there, and I’m so, so proud of what they’ve done.”
Jason, who was the first Donegal person to reach the famous peak 13 years ago, unfurled a Donegal flag at the summit at the time.
This week, his team had to abandon a first attempt at summiting the world’s highest peak last Tuesday due to a frozen rope that risked the operation.
They were approximately just 400 metres from the top of the iconic 8,848-metre giant mountain.
But they regrouped and forged ahead to make a triumphant second summit push, while Jason oversaw the mission form Camp 4.
Team Ireland with Jason Black: Dubliner Eanna McGowan, former Mayo Gaelic footballer Padraig O’Hora, and Waterford man Adam Sweeney. Credit: jasonblackmountaineering
Jason, who remains the only Donegal man to ever summit Everest, said: “They encountered a difficult situation with the ropes being buried in the snow and frozen.
“The right decision was made in the early hours of the morning to return to Camp 4 for safety.”
He explained his injury and said: “I picked up a pretty severe ankle injury, enough of an injury not to allow me to continue.
“The minute I put the crampons on, it changes the angle of my ankle and, for whatever reason, whatever ligament problem I’ve picked up, it [stopped] me to continue safely.”
He added: “I cannot go into the death zone with any margin of error like that. I have got my family and my beautiful wife and my four kids to go back to as well.”
The team included Dubliner Eanna McGowan, former Mayo Gaelic footballer Padraig O’Hora, and Waterford man Adam Sweeney, who became the youngest Irish person ever to stand atop Mt Everest at just 22 years of age.
The previous Irish team to summit Everest did so in May 2006 and included Fergal Corrigan, Neil Elliot, Raymond Hassard and Noel Hanna.
Everest in the Himalayas between Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China is the highest mountain on Earth above sea level, reaching a height of 8,848m (29,031 feet).
It was first conquered by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in 1953.
Figures show that the first Irish climber to summit it Antrim man Dawson Stelfox in 1993, followed two years later by Pat Falvey, from Cork.
It has since been climbed 84 times by 65 Irish climbers, 56 men and nine women.
Pat, who was expedition leader when the last Irish team topped Everest in 2006, described Jason’s latest Everest achievement as an “amazing accomplishment”.
Six more Irish climbers are now on Everest and are due to attempt a final ascent in the coming days.