Canadian Among Three Skydivers To Complete First Ever Jump Over Mt. Everest

As if plummeting like a rock out of a plane towards the rapidly approaching earth below isn’t enough of a rush, consider what three daredevil skydivers – including one Canadian – did for kicks this weekend.

They became the first people in history to jump over the intimidating presence of Mount Everest. And all the excited parachutists lived to tell their amazing tale.

It took years of preparation to make it possible and while 32 people from 10 countries all gathered in the region to make the perilous plunge, only three can boast they were the first. One of them, Neil Jones, is from Canada.

They made their historic jump from an airplane soaring 465 feet higher than the legendary mountain’s summit. They stayed in free fall for a thrilling 30 seconds, cruising over the majestic peaks before opening their chutes and landing in a pre-arranged drop zone.

But this wasn’t your ordinary skydiving adventure – if any can be said to be ordinary. The trio needed bigger than normal chutes to ensure they properly descended through the thinner air. And all three had to wear oxygen masks to make sure they could breathe on their descent.

After it was over, one of the breathless divers – who got that way from more than just the atmosphere – couldn’t contain her excitement. “It was stunning,” admits Wendy Smith. “I had never seen so many mountains before. To be on top of the world was simply stunning.”

Those who waited served as witnesses. “They looked like tiny birds flying in the blue sky as they jumped from the plane,” recalls Krishna Aryal, of the Explore Himalaya agency that arranged the feat. “This is the first of its kind and has never been tried before.”

But it will be tried again. Additional jumps over the peaks have since taken place and more are scheduled for this week.

Why are they going to such lengths, not to mention heights? Maybe the best explanation is because they can – and yes, because it’s there.