Mountaineering Deaths on K2

ANCHOR:
An update on the horrific K2 hiking tragedy in Pakistan. It seems that out of 18 trekkers only two have survived. Among the dead are three Koreans, two Nepalis, two Pakistani high altitude porters, French, Serbian and Norwegian climbers and an Irishman.

STORY:
The unforgiving slopes of K2 is the world's second largest mountain after Everest, based in north Pakistan. It is a notoriously difficult ascent and now the mountain has claimed more lives in one devastating expedition than ever before in its history.

Several teams amassed for a joint assault on the summit but eleven of their members from all over the world were to die trying.

Disaster struck during the descent of a steep gully known as the Bottleneck eight thousand meters above sea level.

Several died when an ice wall collapsed and tore away their safety lines. Others, stranded, died in the freezing oxygen starved air at an altitude known as the death zone.

Dutch survivor Van Rooijen, seen here in a Pakistan hospital, said he screamed for people to work together but they appeared consumed with self preservation.

Some tried to find their own way down on a mountain where to be lost means almost certain death.
His compatriot, Las van de Gevel, was also rescued and was recuperating.

One Italian spent four nights on K2 before finally managing to make it to safety despite severe frostbite.
Technically more difficult to climb than Mount Everest, K2 is even harder to descend.

Mountaineering veterans have questioned the wisdom of an assault on the summit that resulted in some climbers reaching the top after night fall. More than 70 people have been killed on K2, many on their way down.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• ntd
• mountaineering
• hiking
• pakistan
• trekkers
• K2

[gagabong]

Mountaineering is far from being pointless. It's a way to express yourself. Some people express themselves by writing books, creating something, living for a cause, whatever... mountaineers express themselves by climbing mountains, by meeting and facing nature. The point is, always, not to reach the summit, but to come back. In coming back, they are reborn, they understand what Life is. That's not pointless.

[Pigratcroc]

people that finish these big mountains gain a rush a self accomplishment and an experience they will never forget.

[BackStageCowboy]

@Pigratcroc I guess the others... just kinda die.. right?

[BABADAANG11]

@Scottthefish in dreams..lol

[DGFishRfine1]

They didn't show K2! That was Gasherbrum IV!

[8te8ter1]

This bitch talking makes me wana kill someone...

[iiwou]

i feel sorry for these guys, really, experiencing the whole body frostbite must be horrible.

i only have had it in my fingers. hopefully non of them didn't die.

[jolakki]

@Pigratcroc

but at what price...

[FlareUpYo]

HAHA

whoever came here for drugs, just wow.

[custardaghost]

Not the first multiple tragedy on K2 - in1986 from 6 August to 10 August 1986, five mountaineers (incl. two women) died after being forced by a severe storm to bivvy for several days at 8000m. The descriptions by the two survivors make for some horrific reading. Eight other climbers were killed in the weeks preceding, bringing the total number of deaths that season to 13.

If there is one place on earth that should be left alone by humans, K2 is it.

[acr08807]

@SCE2AUX My pont exactly.

[SCE2AUX]

@acr08807 Who gives a toss? People climb mountains because they freaking WANT to, not because they answer to some fatuous assertion to "make the world a better place."