Nepal bans solo climbers from Mount Everest

International Desk: Nepal has banned solo climbers from scaling its mountains, including Mount Everest, in an attempt to reduce accidents.

The new safety regulations also prohibit double amputee and blind climbers from attempting to reach the summit of the world's highest peak.

A tourism official said the law had been revised to make mountaineering safer and to decrease deaths.

A record number of climbers have tried to climb Everest this year.

But among the record-breaking attempts, there has been the familiar tally of casualties.

The death toll so far this season stands at six, including 85-year-old Min Bahadur Sherchan, who died attempting to reclaim his title as the world's oldest person to reach the top.

World-renowned Swiss climber Ueli Steck, who was known as the "Swiss Machine", also died during a solo climb to a peak neighbouring Everest.

Source: Agencies

risingbd/Dhaka/December 30, 2017/A K Azad