Nepal says it may change Everest permit requirements after 11 deaths

Amid an incredibly deadly climbing season, Nepalese government officials are considering changing old laws to impose new restrictions on who can attempt to climb Mount Everest.

Officials in Kathmandu say they may start requiring prospective hikers to submit proof of mountaineering experience and a certificate of good health, per The New York Times. Due to overcrowding at the top, climbers have been forced to wait in line for hours, often falling ill or running out of bottled oxygen in the process.

Current requirements for obtaining a permit to make the trek are notoriously lax, and have resulted in a "Lord of the Flies" atmosphere at the top filled with rookie climbers, reports the Times. Climbers currently must submit a copy of their passport, some biographical information, and a certificate showing they are healthy enough to reach the peak.

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Eleven climbers have died this season in attempting the trek, with the latest casualty being a 62-year-old attorney from Colorado who collapsed after reaching the summit's peak. Nepal issued a record 381 climbing permits this season, fueling the $100 million Everest tourism industry.