THE body of Malaysia Everest 2023 climber Lt Col Awang Askandar Ampuan Yaacub is expected to arrive at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 6.25am tomorrow.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah, Sarawak Affairs and Special Functions) Armizan Mohd Ali said the body of the Kedah Civil Defence Force director would be flown out of Kathmandu, Nepal via flight MH115 at 11.30pm (Kathmandu time).

“The body will later be flown to Kota Kinabalu via flight MH2646 at 11.35am and is expected to arrive at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport at 2.15pm,” he said in a statement today.

In order to fulfil the wishes of his family members, Awang Askandar’s remains will be taken to his family house in Kampung Benoni, Papar and later taken to the As Salam Benoni Mosque for funeral prayers.

His body will be buried at the Kampung Benoni Muslim Cemetery and accorded full defence force honours during the burial.

The Malaysian embassy in Nepal had made all the arrangements to bring back the body of Awang Askandar to Malausoa.

Awang Askandar, 56, was reported to have fallen when making the final ascent at 8,000m and was pronounced dead while being treated at Camp 4.

The peak of the Everest Mountain is said to be at a height of 8,849m above sea level.

During the mishap, Awang Askandar was at a height of 8,000m with fellow climber Muhammad Hawari Hashim, 33, and would have needed only 20 minutes to reach the peak. – Bernama, May 26, 2023.