A South African is the first person to legally fly a paraglider off Mount Everest. Pierre Carter’s flight from the fourth peak of the world’s highest mountain took 20 minutes, said Dawa Steven Sherpa, head of forwarding company Asian Trekking, which organized its mission and permit. Carter said he landed in a village four miles from base camp.
The flight with the view was spectacular, Carter said, but getting there was a challenge. The ascent was difficult, he fell at 6,500 meters and was unable to continue for a while. The departure from 7960 meters was also difficult. And then he and his team would have had to wait even longer for the right wind strength and visibility before take-off and the planned landing. He was very excited, but he was not afraid.
No approval: Top plans postponed
Originally, Carter wanted to fly from the 8849-meter peak. But then he only got a permit for 8,000 meters and finally decided – also because of the weather – to a position slightly lower. If he gets approval for the summit later, he wants to do it again – as long as he finds a sponsor. Climbing Mount Everest with a forwarding company costs tens of thousands of euros.
“Climb and Fly”
Both Carter and his expedition organizers see the potential for more of these types of adventure sports on Everest. There is already a “climb and fly” trend worldwide – after the climb the mountaineers fly back. Authorities say there have been a few unauthorized flights from Everest so far, and Carter’s flight was the first authorized. Sunday marks the 69th anniversary of the first ascent of Mount Everest.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
