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Fiennes 'turned back near summit' Fiennes 'turned back near summit'
(about 17 hours later)
Sir Ranulph Fiennes has said he was agonisingly close to the summit when he had to abandon his latest bid to climb Mount Everest.Sir Ranulph Fiennes has said he was agonisingly close to the summit when he had to abandon his latest bid to climb Mount Everest.
The 64-year-old was forced to stop the expedition on Saturday as a result of sleep deprivation.The 64-year-old was forced to stop the expedition on Saturday as a result of sleep deprivation.
He had not had enough rest as his team had been told to set out on the final stage of the ascent in the dark because of impending bad weather.He had not had enough rest as his team had been told to set out on the final stage of the ascent in the dark because of impending bad weather.
Sir Ranulph said: "I'm not exhausted... I just hadn't had enough sleep."Sir Ranulph said: "I'm not exhausted... I just hadn't had enough sleep."
Heart attackHeart attack
He added: "You have to accept these things. I'm not crying over spilt milk but it was agonisingly close to the summit.He added: "You have to accept these things. I'm not crying over spilt milk but it was agonisingly close to the summit.
"Luck is not with me on Everest. I was within an ace of doing it. The following day I got back down to base camp in one go. I've got punch if I've had a chance to recharge my batteries.""Luck is not with me on Everest. I was within an ace of doing it. The following day I got back down to base camp in one go. I've got punch if I've had a chance to recharge my batteries."
The explorer had only been a few hundred metres from the summit when he was forced to turn back.The explorer had only been a few hundred metres from the summit when he was forced to turn back.
In 2005 he suffered a heart attack just 300m from the top. In 2005 he suffered an angina attack brought on by reduced lung capacity just 300m from the top.
Sir Ranulph, who had hoped to raise £3m for the Marie Curie Cancer Charity with his latest climb, said he would not try to climb Everest again.Sir Ranulph, who had hoped to raise £3m for the Marie Curie Cancer Charity with his latest climb, said he would not try to climb Everest again.
He now plans to travel back to the UK on Monday and enjoy a week off with his family before planning his next expedition.He now plans to travel back to the UK on Monday and enjoy a week off with his family before planning his next expedition.