Two missing climbers who were accompanying former Formula One racing driver Ukyo Katayama on an ascent of Mount Fuji were found Dec. 19 but later pronounced dead, police said.

Eiichi Usami, 43, and Toshio Horikawa, 34, were employees of the company run by Katayama, who was rescued Dec. 18 after making a distress call at around 1 a.m.

Katayama burst into tears Dec. 19 as he faced reporters after seeing the bodies of the two at the Gotemba Police Station in Shizuoka Prefecture.

"It's all my responsibility. I couldn't save them," he said.

Katayama planned to go to the Antarctic soon and was climbing Mount Fuji as preparation for the trip.