A Pilotless Rescue Plane for Mt. Everest.

If a New Zealand company has its way, the next rescue on Mount Everest may take place without the presence of any human rescuers. It will not be yetis who do this but an unpiloted, full-size alpine rescue helicopter. It has been six years in the making at TGR Helicorp Ltd. They call it the Alpine Wasp and claim it will be able to operate at altitudes up to and beyond 30,000 feet. This would mean that you could be saved even if you were to be struck down on the summit of Everest (29,028). The project is the company’s response to Everest Rescue Trust’s “Rescue on Everest Challenge,” a call for designing, building and operating a self-funding rescue helicopter service for the extreme altitude regions of Nepal. As part of the plan, an alpine rescue base will be established at Namche Bazaar in the Everest vicinity, complete with aircraft hangar and rescue facilities, a prosthetics facility for porters and Sherpas, as well as a frostbite prevention facility that will provide clothing and footgear to those who need them. Everest Rescue Trust, which hopes “to help other people all over the world,” has also launched rescueoneverest.org, an official website with information and regular updates on its Everest project. The Alpine Wasp will be capable of airlifting up to two sick or injured climbers at a time. “I’m excited to be part of a project that will benefit the Nepalese people in so many ways,” said the Goodwill Ambassador for the Everest Rescue Trust. “It’s terrible to see porters and Sherpas without the proper equipment in the high mountains, and as well as helping the locals who have already lost limbs to frostbite, the Trust is planning to equip them properly too, free of charge.” (Vertical Magazine, February 2; Radio New Zealand, February 4)