Famed Japanese alpinist Nobukazu Kuriki died Monday in his eighth attempt to summit Mt. Everest, officials said.

Kuriki, 35, died in the morning near Camp II of the mountain located at an altitude of 6,400 meters, Gyanendra Shrestha, a tourism ministry official, said from the mountain's Base Camp.

Tika Ram Gurung of Bochi-Bochi Trek in Kathmandu, which organized Kuriki's expedition, said Kuriki was descending from 7,400 meters when he slipped and died.

"We have carried down Kuriki's body to Base Camp and are waiting for officials' clearance to send the body by helicopter to Kathmandu," he told Kyodo News.

Born in Japan's northernmost island of Hokkaido, Kuriki climbed the highest peaks of six continents, falling one short of entering the elite club of climbers who have scaled the all seven summits of the world.

He lost nine fingers to frostbite while attempting Mt. Everest in 2012 in his fourth attempt.

In 2015, he tried again to scale the peak in the autumn climbing season, just months after devastating quakes killed nearly 9,000 people in Nepal and halted expeditions on the mountain.

Back then, he said the attempt was aimed at spreading the message that Nepal is safe for tourism.

Kuriki was among 346 climbers with permits to climb Mt. Everest from the Nepal side this season.