Inside Nepal's Fake Rescue Racket
by lode on 4/2/2026, 11:40:41 AM
https://kathmandupost.com/money/2026/03/27/inside-nepal-s-fake-rescue-racket
Comments
by: skilled
I did the Everest base camp trek in late 2015, at that time it was quite common (saw it myself and heard about it) that people would do the trek up but to get down they would fake a leg/back injury or blame altitude sickness and the chopper from Kathmandu would come pick you up, as long as you had the right insurance.
4/2/2026, 1:18:36 PM
by: tomaskafka
“Wasn’t the system supposed to be fixed?“<p>Why would it be fixed? Insurance companies aren’t willing to invest in oversight, and everyone else profit, there is no incentive for changing the system.
4/2/2026, 12:52:43 PM
by: rdtsc
> But none of that worked “The scam continued due to lax punitive action,”<p>It percolated up. It’s usually what happens with corruption. If lower levels are found out to have a lucrative scheme, the higher ups (auditors, police, legislators) make a big fuss about stumping it publicly, but behind the scenes go and ask for a cut.
4/2/2026, 1:45:14 PM
by: MikeNotThePope
To be honest I'm surprised insurance is offered at all. I did the EBC trek a couple years ago. The temptation to take a helicopter down was real & I didn't have insurance.
4/2/2026, 1:22:39 PM
by: givemeethekeys
Sounds pretty bad until you look at the numbers.
4/2/2026, 1:26:53 PM
by: miltonlost
Stop pointlessly climbing mountains and ruining the natural environment. Climbing Mt Everest at this point is just a sign of conspicuous consumption and not any achievement other than financial. Would have been better to spend your money lighting it on fire.
4/2/2026, 1:36:19 PM
by: IAmBroom
"In at least one case cited in the investigation, baking powder was mixed into food to make tourists physically unwell."<p>The only ill effect I can find from overconsumption is a "tingly sensation on the tongue". Of course, that doesn't mean the 'poisoner' wasn't ignorant of this, and genuinely did it trying to make them sick. Or maybe they simply said, "If you feel your tongue tingling, YOU ARE DYING!!!".
4/2/2026, 1:02:56 PM
by: s5300
[dead]
4/2/2026, 12:58:20 PM
by: dr_faustus
[flagged]
4/2/2026, 1:09:47 PM