KATHMANDU: British deaf mountaineer and BBC Sign Language presenter Michael Joseph Woods stood atop Mount Everest (8,848.86m) on Thursday morning, becoming an inspiration to the global deaf community as part of a record-breaking two-day summit surge that saw over 400 climbers reach the top of the world's highest peak.

Woods, 36, who communicates using British Sign Language (BSL), summited at 8:25am Nepal Time on May 21, accompanied by climbing guides Phurba Sherpa and Fudorchi Sherpa, and high-altitude photographer Pasang Aryal — all from 8K Expeditions, according to Lakpa Sherpa, Managing Director at the 8K Expeditions.

His ascent was confirmed by Khim Lal Gautam, Field Office Chief at Everest Base Camp, who said Woods was among 154 climbers who scaled Everest on May 21. The previous day, May 20, had seen 274 climbers reach the summit — the largest single-day figure in Everest's history — bringing the two-day total to over 400.

Woods, a BBC BSL TV presenter, undertook the Everest climb as part of his Seven Summits challenge — an attempt to scale the highest peak on each of the seven continents. His primary motivation is fundraising for the National Deaf Children's Society, which supported his six-year-old son from an early age. During acclimatisation, he climbed Lobuche Peak before committing to the Everest summit push.

"From the BBC studio to the roof of the world," 8K Expeditions said in congratulating Woods, whose achievement, they noted, was a reminder that courage, determination and passion know no limits.