Share

Sir Ranulph Fiennes interviewed live on Aconcagua

Sir Ranulph Fiennes spoke of the motivation that drives him on in a live BBC interview from the foot of Mount Aconcagua – his latest challenge.

Inmarsat BGAN HDR allowed the 72-year-old adventurer to talk to BBC Breakfast about the work of cancer charity Marie Curie, which will benefit from his Global Reach Challenge, and his determination to reach a lifetime’s personal fundraising total of £20 million.

Sir Ranulph and his support team were hoping for a weather window to allow them to start the 6,962-metre (22,840 ft) climb today.

‘Huge winds’

“From here Aconcagua looks to me worse than Everest,” Sir Ranulph admitted in the interview on 8 January. “Maybe I should have started all this years ago!

“The winds are huge and we have to wait for a met report to see if we can make a push for it. The climb will probably take four days.”

Aconcagua in Argentina, the highest peak in South America, is the latest challenge in Sir Ranulph’s bid to become the first person to cross both polar ice caps and climb the highest mountain on every continent.

As well as BGAN, the team, including a cameraman from Fieldcraft Studios, are carrying two robust IsatPhone 2 satellite phones and an IsatHub smart device connectivity terminal for safety and to keep in touch.

After Aconcagua, Sir Ranulph still has to climb Mount Carstensz in New Guinea, and Denali, the highest peak in North America.