Skydivers parachute over Everest

A Brit, a New Zealander and a Canadian Sunday become the first to parachute over Mount Everest, authorities in Nepal say.

Holly Budge of England, Wendy Smith of New Zealand and Neil Jones of Canada were in free-fall for nearly a half-minute over Everest before opening their parachutes and landing safely at 12,870 feet, The Sunday Telegraph reported.

To be on top of the world was simply stunning, Smith said.

The three skydivers each paid the British travel firm High and Wild about $26,000 for the experience, the Telegraph reported, noting up to 30 more skydivers are to perform the jump in the next few days.

It was worth the money, said Budge, who has completed 2,500 skydives and jumps to raise money for charities in Britain and Nepal.

Everest's thin, and very cold, air meant the parachutes needed to be three times larger than usual with oxygen tanks strapped to the jumpers, who wore neoprene suits and thermal underwear.