All climbers who want to climb Mount Everest will be required to rent and use tracking chips, Nepalese authorities have announced, as cited by CNN.

“Reputable companies were already using them, but now it has become mandatory for all climbers,” Rakesh Gurung, director of Nepal’s tourism department, told CNN.

“This will reduce search and rescue time in the event of an accident,” he explained.

According to Rakesh Gurung, climbers will pay $10-$15 each for tokens that will be sewn into their jackets. When the climber returns, the chip will be removed, returned to the government and given to the next person.

Location chips use the Global Positioning System (GPS) to communicate with satellites.

Gurung added that the chips were made in a “European country,” but did not specify where or by which company.

Most of those who attempt to climb the 8,849-meter Mount Everest do so through Nepal, paying $11,000 just for a climbing permit.

Adding in the prices of gear, food, supplemental oxygen, Sherpas, etc., climbing the mountain costs more than $35,000.

Eight of the ten highest peaks in the world are in Nepal, and the country receives significant income from mountaineering.

Climbing Mount Everest can take up to two months. The weather is suitable for peaking in a very small window, usually mid-May.

Last year, Nepal issued a record 478 climbing permits. It has been confirmed that 12 climbers died on the mountain, and another five are considered missing, according to News.ro.