A file photo shows the expedition of Bulgarian climbers at the Presidency before their departure to storm Everest. Photo by Yuliana Nikolova (novinite.com)
Bulgarian climber Petko Totev reached the world's highest peak of Mount Everest.
His ascent to the 8,848-metre summit was completed May 18 from the dangerous Northern Ridge route, which is done for the first time this year.
Petko Totev is the seventh Bulgarian who has conquered the "top of the world" after Hristo Prodanov, Metodi Savov, Ivan Valchev, Kiril Doskov, Nikolay Petkov and Doychin Vassilev, in the course of 20 years.
A day earlier communication problems kept the ascent veiled in mystery as the Bulgarian climber left his radio station at a camp at a height of 7,800 meters.
Petko Totev, 45, was to be accompanied by Tsveta Misheva, but aches in the back forced her to go down to a camp at a height of 6,400 meters on Sunday. Thus she missed a chance to become the first Bulgarian woman to climb Everest.
Another three members of the expedition - Nikolay Petkov, Hristo Hristov, Doychin Boyanov - is expected to storm the Everest peak on Thursday.
The ten-member expedition, dedicated to the 20th anniversary since the first Bulgarian ascent of the top, left from Bulgaria late on March 28.