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City banker for the high jump
Mark Prigg, Science Correspondent7 Aug 2008
A London man is to attempt the first charity skydive from a plane circling close to the summit of Mount Everest.
City banker Per Wimmer will be one of 28 jumpers leaping from 29,500 feet in a temperature of about minus 60C.
The 39-year-old hopes to complete the tandem dive to raise money for Unicef.
Mr Wimmer, from Islington, said: "It's going to be an incredible experience and I really like the idea of being the first to do it.
"There are a lot of risks such as the lack of oxygen when we jump out of the plane. We'll be jumping just lower than a jumbo jet's normal altitude, so we need to carry our own supply. The speeds we reach will also be incredible as well as the cold. Then we get to the landing, where we may have to contend with 200mph winds that blow us off course.
"The entire thing is obviously a risk but I think that is what appealed to me."
Mr Wimmer will wear a parachute three times the normal size for the jump and be equipped with an oxygen mask and thermal jumpsuit.
He will freefall at 180mph - 60mph faster than in normal conditions. After his parachute opens he will land on a small drop zone close to Everest's base camp at an altitude of 12,350 feet - the height at which most skydives begin.
The jump is scheduled for early October but will depend on the weather.
The team will need clear skies and a lack of wind as well as perfect climbing conditions.
Mr Wimmer, who is unmarried and originally from Denmark, runs his own investment bank.
He has no mountaineering experience and has skydived only once before. He was one of the first people to sign up for Richard Branson's space tourism flights.
Trip organiser Nigel Gifford, a mountaineer and skydiver who has made more than 1,000 jumps, began preparations two years ago.
He said the challenge would combine two harsh environments - high altitude and extreme cold: "I first went to the Himalayas when I was 27 and I'm now 62, so this is the culmination of years of adventure experience and I see it as having no equal."
After flying to Kathmandu, the team will be taken by helicopter to Lukla, where the attempt will begin. They will then spend six days on an acclimatisation trek to the landing zone.
Reader views (3)
I'm sure he'll have Travel Insurance! I think it's a fantastic project and one that will hopefully capture the imaginations of the general public and raise a substantial amount of money for a fantastic charity. If people didn't try things as they thought they might fail this world would have even more problems than it already does.
How much money do you think gets spent on hosting the London Marathon? Instead of buying a pair of trainers and tax payers supplying ambulances and police for the day let's all just chuck our money in a pot......or maybe let's hope people such as Mr Wimmer continue to look at ways of engaging a large audience to donate money to charity!
- James Wilson, London, UK, 11/08/2008 09:52
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It is a fascinated project! and how wonderful that Mr. Wimmer is challenging himself to raise money for Unicef. Our worlds society needs more people like him, making the impossible possible! His special pioneer-spirit inspires all, especially those that will manage our planet "tomorrow". With all my heart I'm looking forward to see more of Mr. Wimmer!
Good Luck!
- Cath Alexandrine, Copenhagen, Denmark, 10/08/2008 10:16
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What is the point of this? Yes, it'll be great if he succeeds and raises money for charity. On the other hand - and this sounds quite possible - something will go horribly wrong and a major (read: expensive) rescue mission will have to take place. Probably costing more than he could ever raise.
Oh well - saying something like: "Couldn't he have just donated his own money to charity" (and perhaps he does) may sound disingenuous. Best of luck to him.
- Pottytime, London, UK, 08/08/2008 16:47
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