Skydivers leap into history with Everest jump

Kathmandu: Three skydivers leaped into history on Sunday, with the first ever parachute jump over Mount Everest, organisers and participants said.

As part of a large scale operation involving about 32 skydivers from across the world, New Zealand's Wendy Smith, Britain's Holly Budge and Canadian/British Neil Jones took the plunge from an aircraft 142 metres above the Everest peak.

An official of group Explore Himalaya, which provided the logistics, said the jump was “the first of its kind and has never been tried before.''

The skydivers all used specially equipped parachutes and wore oxygen masks for the historic leap.

More such jumps will be organised this week, organisers said.