Skydivers make jump over Qomolangma
Three skydivers made the first ever parachute jump over Mount Qomolangma yesterday, organizers and participants said, culminating years of preparation.
About 32 skydivers from more than 10 countries including Britain, Canada, the United States and New Zealand have been in the Qomolangma region since last week to jump from an aircraft flying 142 m higher than the Qomolangma summit.
Yesterday, Wendy Smith of New Zealand, Holly Budge of Britain and Neil Jones (Canadian/British) made the leap, said Krishna Aryal, an official of the Explore Himalaya, the agency that provided the logistics.
"They looked like tiny birds flying in the blue sky as they jumped from the plane," said Aryal, who saw the jump from Syangboche in the Qomolangma region. "This is the first of its kind and has never been tried before."
All three were in freefall for nearly half a minute and then opened their canopies before landing at a flat drop zone after cruising over the mountain, Aryal said.
They used parachutes that were larger than normal size to help them cruise and descend fast through the thin air of the world's highest drop zone. All three wore oxygen masks.
New Zealand's Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa first climbed Mount Qomolangma's 8,850-m peak 55 years ago.
Organizers said more such jumps will be organized this week.
Agencies
(China Daily 10/06/2008 page8)
