Three Malaysians Set Off For 111KM North Pole Expedition

SEPANG (Selangor, Malaysia), April 5 (Bernama) – Three members of the Malaysian Seven Continents Exploration Club (KE7B) today left for Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Norway, before heading to the North Pole in a 111-kilometre skiing expedition. The 2017 KE7B North Pole expedition features national endurance sports icon Muhammad Muqharbbin Mokhtarrudin, 35; national dualthlon and tirathlon athlete Shahrom Abdullah, 38; and Muhammad Irwan Yusoff Abdullah, 37. The group will attempt the 'Last Degree Ski' expedition under extreme cold weather up to negative 50 degrees Celsius, for 11 days. They will begin the mission on April 12, and will make history as the first Malaysians to reach the North Pole. KE7B Advisor Akmar Hisham Mokhles said the group would begin the expedition from the Barneo Station to the North Pole. Akmar, who is also secretary to the prime minister said the group would camp in Longyearbyen, Svalbard, for six days to acclimatise to the weather and conduct final preparations. "I'm sure all three of them will be successful in this expedition as they have prepared well. "We hope the weather will be good and free of storms so that the expedition can end within the stipulated time," he told reporters before departing to Longyearbyen from the KL International Airport (KLIA) here, Tuesday. Meanwhile, KE7B president Muhammad Muqharbbin said the team had to undergo a series of physical training in Japan, the United States and around Malaysia. He said they would also be pulling along a sledge weighing 50kg throughout the expedition, containing essential items such as camping equipment, food supplies, and a variety of equipment. "We are ready and confident to carry out this mission within the set time," he said. The expedition to the North Pole is KE7B's sixth mission after the seven peaks in seven continents climb in 2010, swimming the English Channel in 2012, Felda Everest Expedition 2013, Felda Greenland ski tour in 2014, and the 2015-16 South Pole expedition. -- BERNAMA