First helicopter rescue aborted Two Japanese climbers crash on K2
During the extremely difficult K2 ascent via the west face, two Japanese climbers fell. An initial rescue attempt by helicopter had to be aborted. It is unclear whether the climbers are still alive.
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- Two top Japanese climbers have crashed during the extremely difficult ascent of K2 via the West Face.
- An initial rescue attempt by helicopter had to be aborted.
- The two men had been spotted, but had not moved. They have not yet been declared dead.
- The west face of K2 has only been successfully climbed once before, by a Russian team in 2007.
In Pakistan, two top Japanese mountaineers crashed while climbing K2. "A rescue attempt was made with a helicopter, but it could not land," said the deputy commissioner of the Shigar district, Wali Ullah Falahi, to the AFP news agency on Sunday. The two men had been spotted but had not moved. They have not yet been declared dead.
The two experienced climbers, Kazuya Hiraide and Kenro Nakajima, had attempted to climb the rugged west face of the world's second highest mountain at 8611 meters. The two of them opted for a climbing style that emphasizes speed and uses only a few fixed ropes. On Saturday, they fell at an altitude of 7,500 meters, explained the mountaineering and sport climbing association Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP).
"We are currently looking into how we can rescue them"
The altitude and the steep slope forced the rescue helicopter to abort its landing, explained the Japanese sporting goods manufacturer Ishii Sports, which sponsored the two climbers. "The pilot said the two men could be seen, but their status was unclear," it added. "We are currently looking into how we can rescue them."
Rescue attempts are extremely risky, even on the south-east ridge, via which most climbers ascend to the K2 summit. The west face is steeper and has only been successfully climbed once by a Russian team in 2007.
Climbers were well prepared
According to ACP, Hiraide and Nakajima had carefully planned and trained for their expedition. Both are athletes who have won several important mountaineering prizes.
This summer season, three other Japanese climbers have already died in Pakistan - all on the 7027-meter-high Mount Spantik, which, like K2, is located in the Gilgit-Baltistan region.
Pakistan is home to five of the world's 14 mountains that are more than 8000 meters high. K2 is considered more difficult to climb than Mount Everest.