SO. ST. PAUL, MN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Digital Angel (NASDAQ:DIGA), an advanced technology company in the field of animal identification and emergency identification solutions, announced that British explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes will carry a McMurdo FASTFIND PLUS Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) on his climb of Mount Everest. This will be his second climb three years after he abandoned his attempt just 300 m from the top when he suffered a heart attack.
This time Sir Ranulph, who is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's greatest living explorer, is reinforcing his safety preparations by carrying a McMurdo FASTFIND PLUS PLB. If he finds himself in an emergency, activating the beacon will alert search and rescue authorities.
Sir Ranulph and his team are starting their attempt in the next few weeks. He is currently trekking to Base Camp at 5380 meters, from where he will attempt the 3468 m ascent. If successful, the intrepid adventurer will be the first man ever to cross both ice caps via both poles and reach the top of Everest. He is accompanied by a doctor, Robert Casserley, and expedition guide, Kenton Cool, both of whom have climbed the mountain before.
McMurdo has donated the FASTFIND PLUS to Sir Ranulph in recognition of his ambitions, not only to reach the summit despite repeated heart problems, but also to help him in his quest of raising £3 million for the Marie Curie Cancer Trust.
The FASTFIND PLUS PLB has a maximum 24 hr. operational battery life from activation, operating at temperatures as low as –40°C. Once activated the FASTFIND PLUS transmits a unique identification signal along with the user's current position via the Cospas-Sarsat international search and rescue satellite system on 406 MHz. The signal is passed to regional search and rescue authorities who can rapidly get to the scene.
About McMurdo
McMurdo, a division of Signature Industries Ltd., is a world-leading producer of Emergency Positioning Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs), PLBs, Search and Rescue Transponders (SARTs), VHF Radios and NAVTEX for the maritime and leisure markets, including shipping, yachting, aviation and outdoor adventure pursuits. The high quality product range is manufactured in the UK utilizing the very latest technology available, and in partnership with the world's safety regulatory organizations.
About Digital Angel
Digital Angel is an advanced technology company in the field of animal identification and emergency identification solutions. Digital Angel's products are used around the world in such applications as pet identification using its patented, FDA-approved implantable microchip; livestock identification and tracking using visual and radio frequency identification (RFID) ear tags; and global positioning systems (GPS) search and rescue beacons for use on aircraft, ships and boats, and by adventure enthusiasts. Digital Angel is the controlling stockholder of VeriChip Corporation (NASDAQ:CHIP).