Just two climbers tried to help a dying Sherpa on the world’s second highest mountain while other climbers ran around.
Muhammad Hassan, 27, lay critically injured 1,300 feet above the summit of K2 after slipping in a gorge area of the mountain on July 27.
The father-of-three reportedly “slipped and got caught” on a rope and was unable to speak or hear while waiting for help.
The expedition was his first collaboration with the Lela Peak Expedition group. However, it is not known if it was his first as a mountaineer.
Anwar Syed of the Lela Peak Expedition told Mail Online that two climbers “tried their best to bring him down, but they couldn’t and he died after two hours”.
The expeditionary group claims they offered other porters payment to recover the body, but “everyone said it was impossible to recover.”
Mr Syed said Mr Hassan found himself much higher than three climbers whose bodies were previously thought to be beyond recovery from the mountain in Pakistan.
Fellow mountaineers have accused mountaineers of being more interested in setting records than in saving the life of the wearer.
Instead of helping him, fellow climbers climbed up the mountainside and past him
Muhammad Hassan was dying after slipping at a dangerous point on the mountain
Footage shows dozens of fellow climbers cautiously approaching it, risking their lives while clinging to the side of the narrow ledge.
They then climbed around the ailing 27-year-old as they continued up the mountain.
A climber’s code of ethics: what should Hassan’s fellow climbers have done to help him?
The International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA) warns that all climbers practice their sport at their own risk and are responsible and accountable for their own safety.
The group, which is considered the international governing body for rock climbing and mountaineering, advises mountaineers and warns that “all participants in mountain sports should clearly understand the risks and dangers”.
While the organization doesn’t specifically state how or if fellow climbers should have helped Hassan — particularly given that they might have put themselves at risk — they are advised to “be prepared to help others in the event of an emergency or accident.” and also to be ready.” to face the aftermath of a tragedy.
Kristin Harila, a Norwegian climber who passed Hassan, said she and her team did everything they could to help him, but the conditions on K2 were too dangerous.
Also among the critics are Norwegian Kristin Harila and her team, who got past Hassan.
She is also accused of throwing a party shortly after the record climb of 14 of the world’s highest peaks in just over three months – despite Hassan’s death.
She has claimed that she and her team did everything they could to help Hassan, but the conditions at K2 were too dangerous for him to move.
But climber Philip Flämig, an Austrian who climbed with Wilhelm Steindl, said footage the two captured with a drone showed a trail of climbers walking over the ailing body rather than helping Hassan.
“He’s being treated by one person while everyone else is rushing to the summit.”
“The fact is that there was no organized rescue operation, although Sherpas and mountain guides were there who could have intervened.”
He called the death a “disgrace” and said “such a thing would be unthinkable in the Alps” – citing the ongoing debate over the use of Sherpas in the Himalayas.
“If he had been a westerner, he would have been saved immediately.” “No one felt responsible for him,” he told the Austrian publication.
“A living human was left so that records could be set.”
Harila defended her actions to The Daily Telegraph, saying: “We did everything we could for him.”
She added, “It’s just not true to say we didn’t do anything to help him.” We spent an hour and a half trying to pick him up again, and my cameraman stayed another hour to tend to him . At no time was he left alone.’
She said that given the conditions, it was unlikely he could be rescued as he fell on “probably the most dangerous part of the mountain where the chances of carrying someone away are limited by the narrow trail and poor snow conditions”.
Norwegian climber Kristin Harila (pictured) said she and her team did everything they could to help Hassan, but the conditions on K2 were too dangerous for him to move
The climbers were just 1,200 feet from the summit of K2, the second highest mountain in the world
Footage of the death last month shows people physically climbing over Hassan as he lies helpless in deep snow.
The video then pans over to show clouds several thousand feet below and shows how high they were when the footage was taken.
The air is so thin at this altitude that everyone in the video wore oxygen masks.
It seems that in the end only one person helped him, an unknown rescuer, who managed to keep him conscious for a while before he died from his injuries. There was no rescue operation to help the young man.
Steindl, who participated in the climb but returned to base camp earlier due to the dangerous conditions, also told Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf that he was startled by the inaction of the other climbers.
“It was a very heated, hard-fought race to the top.” What happened there is scandalous.
“One living person is left behind for records to be set.” It only took three or four people to save him. “Had I seen it, I would have climbed up to help the poor man.”
Despite these strong claims, differing accounts of the tragedy circulated, leading to uncertainty as to what exactly transpired en route to K2.
Lakpa Sherpa, a climber who witnessed the climb and captured the video, told Web that the footage does not reflect what actually happened:
“Some of the climbers and Sherpas tried to save his life even though he died.”
“The climbers have all spent a lot of money on this climb, and the time it takes to climb is also valuable.” Hundreds of climbers tried to save him, but they could not give up their mission.
“The reality is they were trying to save life and that’s below the big serace bottleneck where it’s impossible to cross without a rope so it’s a very difficult situation.”
“Many climbers and Sherpas told him to go back as he had very poor gear and wasn’t well equipped and also there was very bad weather during the summit window but he didn’t listen and then he fell.”
“It was very difficult to recover the body. You have to climb the mountain. There’s only a slim chance for them.’
Bulgarian climber Silvia Azdreeva, who was traveling when Hassan died, said in a Facebook post that climbing K2 was not for the faint of heart: “On K2 there is no one who can save you so quickly, you have to wait.” days if something happens to you.
“This mountain is not for everyone.” “K2 has a very difficult character.”
Bulgarian mountaineer Silvia Azdreeva said: “This mountain is not for everyone.” “K2 has a very difficult character”
K2 – pictured from the town above the town of Askole in Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan region – gained notoriety as “The Wild Mountain” after American mountaineer George Bell descended from the summit in 1953
Shockingly, Wilhelm Steindl claimed that shortly after Mr Hassan’s death, a party was held to celebrate Kristin Harila, a Norwegian who set a new world record after climbing the world’s 14 highest peaks in just over three months.
“I didn’t go, I was disgusted.” “Someone had just died up there,” said the angry climber.
In a GoFundMe set up for Mr Hassan’s family, he revealed he leaves behind three children and a wife, as well as an elderly grandmother.
At the time of publication, the site has already raised £63,000.
Speaking of the tragedy, new world record holder Kristin Harila said: “My heart, thoughts and prayers go out to Hassan’s family and loved ones and I am deeply saddened by this whole situation.”
K2 is considered the most dangerous mountain in the world as it is estimated to have a fatality rate of around 19 percent compared to just 6.5 percent on Everest.
Out of 20 people who climb Everest, only 1 climbs K2 and the risks are inherently higher.
The routes on K2 are not as defined or well laid out, the ascent is much more challenging with a combination of rock, ice and alpine climbing – and avalanches are also much more common.
The mountain gained notoriety as “Savage Mountain” after American mountaineer George Bell nearly fell to his death while descending from the summit in 1953.
“It’s a wild mountain trying to kill you,” he remarked after his treacherous climb.