Everest climbers will need a medical evaluation before scaling peak, says extreme sports rescue specialist
- A leading operations specialist for an evacuation company is talking to Nepalese government officials and says they will ‘rapidly’ enact medical examinations
Climbers will be required to have a medical assessment before attempting Everest, or other mountains in Nepal, says Global Rescue, which performs evacuations in extreme environments.
“From what I understand, they tried and they did their best. But really what happened was when the insurers, underwriters and the media took hold, and really started bashing for permits, asking ‘who are you letting climb?’, that’s when the Nepalese government really stepped up,” Napiltonia, a former Navy Seal, said.
Napiltonia said that judging by what he has learned, the government will enforce a medical examination for a doctor to sign off, which will come into play as soon as April 1.
The Everest climbing season starts in spring, with most climbers summitting in early May. Many clients will already have booked and paid for their attempt.