Sir Edmund Hillary has died at the age of 88 in his native New Zealand.

On 29 May 1953, he and guide Tenzing Norgay became the first known climbers to summit Mount Everest, the highest mountain on Earth. Hillary went on to many other adventures including climbing ten more peaks in the Himalayas. He also became the first man to stand at both the North and South poles and on the summit of Everest.

We offer our condolences…

Tributes to the great adventurer Sir Edmund Hillary, who passed away at Auckland City Hospital at 9am on Friday morning, have begun to flow in:

Prime Minister Helen Clark:

“Sir Ed described himself as an average New Zealander with modest abilities. In reality he was a colossus. He was an heroic figure who not only ‘knocked off’ Everest but lived a life of determination, humility and generosity.

“The legendary mountaineer, adventurer, and philanthropist is the best-known New Zealander ever to have lived. But most of all he was a quintessential Kiwi. He was ours – from his craggy appearance and laconic style to his directness and honesty. All New Zealanders will deeply mourn his passing.