The final, haunting video of a British climber now missing and presumed dead on Mount Everest has been released, showing his emotional last words to his family from the world's most treacherous peak.
Daniel Paterson, along with his climbing partner Pastenji Sherpa, vanished on May 21st after they summited the mountain. They were last seen in the perilous 'death zone' above 8,000 metres, an area notorious for its thin air and extreme conditions.
In the poignant footage, Daniel sends a love-filled message to his family back home. "I love you all," he says, his voice strained by the altitude. "Thank you for everything. I hope I've made you proud. Love you." These words now serve as a devastating final farewell.
A Desperate Search in the Death Zone
Despite a extensive search and rescue operation launched by his team, no sign of either man has been found. The search, hampered by brutal winds and the extreme altitude, has now been called off, leaving the families with the agonising conclusion that the climbers did not survive.
Lydia, Daniel's heartbroken partner, has been informed by authorities that the chances of finding him alive are nonexistent. She is now left to mourn the man she described as her "best friend and the love of my life."
A Dream Turned Tragedy
Daniel, a seasoned mountaineer, was living his lifelong dream of conquering the Seven Summits, the highest peaks on each continent. Everest was to be his final challenge. His partner Lydia had been tracking his progress via GPS, a process that turned from excitement to horror when his signal suddenly stopped moving.
His family has since paid tribute to a "kind, passionate, and generous soul" who was loved by all who knew him. This tragedy is a stark reminder of the deadly risks inherent in climbing the world's highest mountain, where the thrill of the summit is forever shadowed by the peril of the climb.
