First woman atop Everest dies at 77

The first woman to conquer Mount Everest, Junko Tabei of Japan, died aged 77, media reported yesterday. She completed the first conquest of Mount Everest by a woman in 1975, accomplishing the feat via the southeast ridge route. She went on to conquer soaring peaks in several continents -- Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Mount McKinley in US and the Vinson Massif in Antarctica -- heralding the era of women climbers.