An 84-year-old Spanish mountaineer was injured today while trying to summit Nepal’s Mount Dhaulagiri, one of two summits over 8,000 meters left to become the oldest person to climb the world’s 14 highest mountains.

A sherpa fell on Carlos Soria, injuring his shin, according to messages posted on his behalf on Twitter and Facebook.

Soria was preparing for the final climb to the summit when the accident occurred, according to the Himalayan Times newspaper. This was his 15th attempt to climb Dhaulagiri.

“He fell while climbing the summit (…) and injured his leg,” said Thaneswar Guragai, the general manager of Seven Summit Treks, which is assisting Soria.

Soria and his companions were at an altitude of 7,600 meters.

His Sherpa guides took it upon themselves to take him back to base camp so he could be picked up by a helicopter to take him to Kathmandu, Guragai explained.

Soria has climbed 12 of the world’s highest peaks (over 8,000 meters) and was only one step away from Dhaulagiri in Nepal and Sissapangma in Nepal to become the oldest climber to climb all 14 of the world’s highest mountains. He had dedicated his effort to the elderly who lost their lives from the Covid-19 pandemic.