|
|
Tweet |
Everest ‘death zone’ to be cleaned up
A team of 20 Nepalese Sherpas are planning to clean up rubbish and bring the bodies of dead climbers down from the top of Mount Everest.
The Sherpas will work above 8,000m (26,240ft) - in what's known as the "Death Zone" because of the thin air and treacherous conditions.
They expect to bring back the bodies of at least two climbers, including American mountaineer Scott Fischer, who died in 1996, and Swiss Mountaineer Gianni Goltz, who died in 2008.
The expedition will set off from the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, this weekend and reach the South Col of Everest, just below 8,000m, by 1 May.
After setting up camp on the South Col, the team will climb to the summit of Everest and start working their way down, picking up rubbish as they go.
Seven-times Everest climber, Namgyal Sherpa, is running the expedition.
He says this is the first time anyone has cleaned up rubbish at this altitude, but that it is important to do so to preserve the environment and make the mountain safe.