Armed Forces team reaches Everest base camp ahead of highest mountain climb

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  A UAE Armed Forces team has arrived at Mount Everest’s South Base Camp in Nepal to prepare for ascent of tallest mountain in the world. Wam

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  The team includes 13 members of several ranks, one of whom is a doctor specialising in sports medicine and altitude physiology, and three professional mountain climbers, making it the biggest military team in the region to take part in such a climb. Wam

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  The team is expected to reach the top of Mount Everest in about two months. Wam

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  The group hiked for nine days from Lukla, which is considered the starting point for any expedition, at 2,860 metres above sea level, and will stay at the base camp, at 5,364 metres. Wam

• 

  A UAE Armed Forces team has arrived at Mount Everest’s South Base Camp in Nepal to prepare for ascent of tallest mountain in the world. Wam

• 

  The team includes 13 members of several ranks, one of whom is a doctor specialising in sports medicine and altitude physiology, and three professional mountain climbers, making it the biggest military team in the region to take part in such a climb. Wam

• 

  The team is expected to reach the top of Mount Everest in about two months. Wam

• 

  The 16-member group hiked for nine days from Lukla, which is considered the starting point for any expedition, at 2,860 metres above sea level, and will stay at the base camp, at 5,364 metres, for the next few weeks for extensive training and to prepare for crossing the Khumbu Icefall. Wam

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  Dr Hashil Obeid Al Tuneiji, who is taking part in the climb, said all team members are in good health and have gradually acclimatised to the altitude and low oxygen levels. Wam

Sixteen Armed Forces climbers pitch their tents in a bid to set a record by climbing the world's highest mountain.

An Armed Forces team has arrived at Mount Everest’s South Base Camp in Nepal to prepare for ascent of the tallest mountain in the world.

The 16-member group hiked for nine days from Lukla — considered the starting point for any expedition at 2,860 metres above sea level — and will stay at the base camp, at 5,364 metres, for the next few weeks for extensive training and to prepare for crossing the Khumbu Icefall.

Dr Hashil Obeid Al Tuneiji, who is taking part in the climb, said all team members were in good health and had gradually acclimatised to the altitude and low oxygen levels.

“The higher the climber goes, the lower the oxygen levels are, which makes the body produce more red blood cells to get more oxygen,” Dr Al Tuneiji said.

“It is necessary that the climb happens slowly so that the body can produce the extra red blood cells.

“Despite the team members’ excellent fitness levels, which of course helps in the climb, it still will not protect them against [the dangers] of high altitudes and low oxygen levels,” Dr Tuneiji said.

The Everest team includes 13 members – one of whom is a doctor specialising in sports medicine and altitude physiology – and three professional mountain climbers, making it the biggest military team in the region to take part in such a climb, according to state news agency Wam.

The climbers are expected to reach the top of the mountain in about two months’ time.