Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Flier Mark heads for new heights
Adventure at the top of the world
An army private from Coatbridge is scaling new heights in the world’s largest mountain range.
Mark Plunkett, 21, is in the middle of a 20-day climb of the 20,423ft peak Imja Tse (Island Peak) in the Himalayas.
The airtrooper flew out to Nepal last week with 21 fellow soldiers after being chosen from 180 applicants.
Private Plunkett has served in the army for five years and was deployed to Afghanistan in 2014.
Now based in Suffolk, the former Coatbridge High pupil told the Advertiser: “Ben Nevis is the highest hill I’ve climbed before, so the Himalayas is going to be a real difference in scale and challenge.
“I’m looking forward to getting into the high mountains and experiencing the culture of Nepal and seeing how people live.
“I’ve been training hard to prepare myself and we’ve come together well as a team.”
The expedition is part of an ambitious programme of adventurous training being carried out by air corps soldiers to mark the 60th anniversary of their foundation.
It will also include rock climbing in Chile, skiing in the Norweigan Arctic and trekking in New Zealand.
Expedition leader Major Chris Andrews said: “There is great value in putting soldiers in demanding situations together outside the military environment to develop their teamwork and confidence.
“Most of the team have not done any mountaineering before getting involved in the expedition.
“It will provide our soldiers with the opportunity of a lifetime to experience the breathtaking beauty of the Himalayas, while pushing themselves to the limit of endurance to achieve an objective and make lifelong friends.
“That is what the Army Air Corps is all about.”