South African Paraglider Pierre Carter Completes Historic Flight from Mount Qomolangma

South African paraglider Pierre Carter has made history by becoming the first person to legally paraglide from Mount Everest, soaring to an altitude of nearly 8,000 meters before landing near Gorakshep.

Last week, at the age of 55, Carter launched himself from a point near the summit, experiencing the majestic beauty of the Himalayas while trekkers descended on foot.

He achieved remarkable speeds of up to 80 kilometers per hour during his descent, completing the journey to Gorakshep, which sits at 5,164 meters, in a mere 20 minutes.

"It was a beautiful flight down. Above the clouds and then through the clouds and down," Carter remarked to AFP, reflecting on the breathtaking experience.

Adverse weather conditions prompted him to refrain from reaching the very top of the 8,849-meter summit before initiating his flight from the South Col ridge at noon.

"Once you're in the air it is all relative," Carter noted, acknowledging the challenges that come with high-altitude takeoffs.

He indicated that the higher one climbs, the more difficult it becomes to launch the glider as it becomes less responsive.

Carter’s passion for climbing started in his teenage years, leading him to discover paragliding, which has since become a significant part of his adventurous pursuits.

Since 2005, he has summited five of the seven peaks that are recognized as the highest mountains on each continent, beginning his journey with Mount Elbrus in Russia.

Although he reached the summit of Denali in Alaska in 2016, he was unable to paraglide from there.

Carter aims to achieve his next goal at Mount Vinson in Antarctica, admiring the potential for adventure in such targets.

Historically, there have been only three documented flights from Mount Everest, and all occurred without governmental permits.

In 1988, French alpinist Jean-Marc Boivin became the first to paraglide down, followed by a French couple in 2001 and a pair of Nepali climbers a decade later.

"This is the first time Nepal has issued a flight permit on its mountains," explained Dawa Steven Sherpa from Asian Trekking.

With excitement, Sherpa expects more climbers to pursue similar flights in the upcoming season, as the Nepali authorities appear open to facilitating paragliding over the Himalayas.

"Many climbers are also paragliders, and the concept of climbing and flying is gaining popularity," he added, indicating a growing trend.

Nepalese authorities view this evolution as a promising opportunity to attract tourism, particularly as the industry rebounds post-COVID.