By Humberto Viera
01 Mar 2024, 2:42 PM EST
The Government of Nepal announced that it is mandatory to carry a tracking device for all climbers and guides who wish to ascend the highest peak in the world, Everest.
According to statements to EFE by the director of the Nepal Tourism Department, Rakesh Gurung, it was decided to implement this measure after consulting with expedition operators and the Nepal Mountaineering Association.
The tracking device, which can be purchased for between $10 and $15 in Nepal, is intended to speed up search and rescue operations in the event of an accident.
Although the exact model of device to be used has not been specified, one the size of a Band-Aid and weighing less than 4 grams is recommended, which can be easily incorporated into climbers’ clothing, helmets or equipment.
“Expedition organizers must manage the device for their climbers and guides. It must be a product that has ISO certification or meets international standards,” Gurung said.
The measure will come into effect in the next climbing season, which begins in early April.
According to Seven Summit Treks manager Thaneshwor Guragain, this decision was “long awaited. “It will reduce search and rescue time in the event of an accident.”
This device could have been of great help in situations like the one that occurred last year, when three Sherpas disappeared after an avalanche in the Khumbu icefall.
“If the three Sherpas buried in the Khumbu Icefall last year had strapped on the tracking device, it would have been easier to locate them,” Guragain said.
Expedition operators point out that recovering bodies on Everest can cost up to $150,375, which sometimes leads to bodies being left on the mountain due to the difficulty of assuming this cost.
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