ISLAMABAD: A Chinese woman mountaineer, Guan Jing, died on Tuesday night after being struck by falling rocks while descending from the summit of K2 (8,611 metres), the world’s second-highest peak.
According to the Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP), the incident took place on the Abruzzi Spur route between Camp I and Advanced Base Camp, a section well-known for its frequent rockfalls.
Guan had successfully reached the summit of K2 on Monday alongside a group of climbers before beginning her descent.
Recovery efforts for her body are currently underway. Meanwhile, other climbers who also summited K2 that day are now making their way back safely to base camp. In total, over 30 climbers reached the summit on Monday.
Last month, a Pakistani climber died after an avalanche struck near Camp 1 on K2, the country’s highest peak.
The ACP said that the avalanche affected four climbers in total. Two climbers managed to return safely to base camp, while one foreign mountaineer suffered minor injuries.
Tragically, Iftikhar Hussain Sadpara, a climber from Skardu, lost his life in the incident. His body was recovered and brought back to base camp shortly afterwards.
Last month, renowned Czech climber Klára Kolouchová also lost her life during an expedition on Nanga Parbat, after falling between Camp 1 and Camp 2.
Kolouchová held the distinction of being the first Czech woman to summit both Everest and K2—two of the highest peaks in the world.
On July 28, former German Olympic biathlon champion Laura Dahlmeier perished on Lailla Peak (6,096m) in the Hushe Valley of Ghanche district after being struck by rockfall at 5,700 meters.
Pakistan is home to five of the world’s 14 peaks that rise above 8,000 metres, including K2. Often referred to as the “Savage Mountain”, K2 is considered a more technically challenging climb than Everest.
