A year after an earthquake shook Mount Kinabalu, 20 Singaporeans who lost loved ones in the tragedy climbed the mountain as a tribute to them.

The group is made up of former Tanjong Katong Primary School (TKPS) pupils, parents and relatives of those who died during the Sabah earthquake on June 5, 2015.

The group set off on the morning of June 4, trekking to Laban Rata, which is the overnight rest stop for hikers before the summit. At 7.15am the next day - the exact time the earthquake struck last year - the group observed a minute of silence. Standing around a table with candles and pebbles painted with the victims' names, it was an emotional moment as messages from TKPS students and teachers were read out.

In the end, only five out of 20 in the group made it to the summit. The trek to Laban Rata proved too gruelling for most of them.

The group completed its journey at sunset on June 6. It was an expedition that saw tears shed, muscles strained and wills tested.

The Straits Times followed the group throughout its expedition to mark the one-year anniversary of the tragedy that took the lives of 10 Singaporeans.