Former grand prix driver Ukyo Katayama was rescued from Mount Fuji on Thursday, but two other men on his expedition are feared dead.
Katayama, who was preparing for an expedition to the South Pole in the Japanese mountain, was rescued after he called police requesting help. He reportedly said he believed the two other men were killed after their tents were blown away.
"I'm OK. The other two appeared to have died. I'm sorry for the trouble I have caused, I am just praying for their safety," the former racer was quoted as saying by the Reuters news agency.
The 46-year-old Katayama raced in Formula 1 from 1992 to 1997, taking part in 95 grands prix.