KATHMANDU, Nepal– Chinese climber Wang Jing has become the talk of town after she admitted to Chinese media that she used a copter to reach camp II from the base camp. Wang, who earlier ruled out the charges of applying a chopper, eventually admitted that she was forced to fly “for the sake of safety”.
Her confession has also drawn the criticism over the Ministry of Tourism which has already authorized her summit releasing a formal statement after her conquers. No sooner had she summitted the peak,Tourism Ministry, Tourism Secretary and other top brass officials seemed haste to congratulate her as the first climber of this season to conquer Everest.
However after her confession, officials at the mountaineering department were divided whether or not to issue certificate to Wang, multiple sources at the Ministry told Nepal Mountain Focus. “The Ministry itself divided over Wang’s ascent regarding whether or not to authorize her summit,” an official told NMF over phone on condition of anonymity.
Ang Tshering Sherpa, president of Nepal Mountaineering Association has already asked the government not to approve her ascent, claiming such practice would violate the mountaineering norms and ethics.
Reports quoted Chinese Mountaineering Association officials also saying that it would be ridiculous if the Nepali tourism authorities grant her a certificate of scaling the peak.
Earlier, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), an aviation regulatory body formed three members probe panel to study recent use of chopper at Everest by mountaineers including Wang.