Everest continues to attract climbers 70 years after first summit
Al JazeeraMAR 18 2023
Seventy years on from the first successful climb, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa have opened the door to thousands of others following in their footsteps — transforming the surrounding area from small farming villages to bustling economic engines that bring in millions of dollars to the local population.
In issuing a record number of permits, Nepal is prioritizing short-term income over the long-term state of the mountain. Worse still, they're turning a blind eye to the safety of the climbers who are at greater risk of dying under these conditions. This situation is not sustainable.