Double Amputee Chinese Man Xia Boyu Breaks Record to Reach Mount Everest from Nepal Side
During his previous attempts in 2014, 2015 and 2016, Xia’s unsuccessful tries were scuffled by a series of natural disasters
Xia Boyu, a double amputee Chinese climber has scaled Mount Everest on Monday morning, becoming the first person to climb the world highest peak without legs from Nepal side, as confirmed by Kathmandu Post. The first time Xia tried to climb Mount Everest in 1975, he lost his feet due to severe frostbite and they required amputation. Twenty years later, after developing lymphoma (rare blood cancer), both of his legs were also amputated. But nothing hindered Xia from climbing the Everest and he reached the 8,848-meter summit on his fifth attempt.
Dawa Futi Sherpa of Imagine Trek and Expedition which organised the climb and accompanied him up the mountain told The Washington Post that 69-year-old Xia completed the climb with several other members of his team. During his previous attempts in 2014, 2015 and 2016, Xia’s unsuccessful tries were scuffled by a series of natural disasters, including an avalanche, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake and a blizzard that forced him to turn back just 300 feet from the summit, according to reports.
In December, the Nepal government banned double amputees and people who are blind from climbing mountains to reduce the number of accidents. After severe bad luck and with the ban, Xia told the Japan Times he ‘panicked’ and was afraid that perhaps he had lost his chance for good. However, three months later, Nepal’s high court overturned the ban citing discrimination against disabled people. Within weeks, Xia applied for his climbing permit.
Liaison officer Gyanendra Sherstha confirmed that Xia is the first double amputee from the Nepal side while he is the second double leg amputee to climb Everest. Mark Joseph Inglis of New Zealand is the first double leg amputee to summit the world’s tallest peak from the Chinese side in 2006. Three years earlier, a Nepali-born Canadian man Sudarshan Gautam became the first person without arms to climb Mount Everest, as reported by Kathmandu Post.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 15, 2018 01:02 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).