GILGIT, Pakistan: Ace mountaineer Sirbaz Khan—the first Pakistani to summit 13 of the world’s 14 highest peaks without supplementary oxygen, achieving the milestone on April 7 this year—has been hailed for saving the life of a French speed climber, Vadim Druelle.
Fall into crevasse
The French climber—who has multiple records for the fastest summit of peaks like Nanga Parbat, Kangchenjunga, Gasherbrum I and II—fell into a crevasse during an acclimatisation rotation on Annapurna, the world’s 10th highest mountain.
The incident occurred on March 30, but the act of heroism remained unknown until Vadim shared the story on social media on April 17, thanking Sirbaz for his courage, selflessness, and life-saving actions.
Vadim began his acclimatisation phase to Camp 3 (6,400 metres) on March 27. Battling harsh winds and exhaustion after a rough night at altitude, he decided to descend back to base camp for rest.
It was a dangerous section between Camp 2 and 3, and then a black hole. I remember only one image: emptiness,” Vadim wrote.
He had fallen around 150 metres, landing deep in a 20-metre crevasse.
Race against time
“Miraculously, Sirbaz Khan, a Pakistani mountaineer who had left before me, saw the accident.
His rescue, courage, and determination literally saved my life—and it’s because of him that I can write these lines today,” he wrote.
Miraculously, Sirbaz Khan, a Pakistani mountaineer who had left before me, saw the accident. His rescue, courage, and determination literally saved my life—and it’s because of him that I can write these lines today.
He also thanked a Nepalese Sherpas—indigenous people from the Himalayan region of Nepal—crew for helping Sirbaz pull him out and waiting for the helicopter to arrive, five hours later—a true race against time in the freezing cold.
“Helping humanity is more important than summiting 13 of the world’s 14 eight-thousanders without supplementary oxygen,” Sirbaz told WE News English in an exclusive interview following his return to Islamabad.
The 38-year-old mountaineer from Aliabad, Hunza, has already carved his name into mountaineering history with record-breaking climbs, but this latest act of bravery has revealed his deeper commitment to the human spirit.
“I left Camp 3 earlier than Vadim. When I descended about 200 meters, I saw some belongings of the French climber falling with a sound, followed by the climber himself. I immediately contacted base camp and started a search mission,” says Khan.
“After 20 minutes of searching, I saw Vadim about 20 meters below in a crevasse, waving his hand and calling for help. I reached him in 15 minutes and pulled him up using the reverse rappelling technique. After around an hour of struggle, I managed to rescue him to a safer place,” says the mountaineer.
Climber’s cold ordeal
Describing Vadim’s poor condition, he says that his helmet was broken and gloves were off while he had multiple injuries on his head and his hands were frostbitten.
I offered him water and helped him put on inners and other clothing from his bag. I started massaging his body to keep him warm as the temperature was very low.” – Sirbaz Khan
“I offered him water and helped him put on inners and other clothing from his bag. I started massaging his body to keep him warm as the temperature was very low,” he adds.
Khan praised Vadim’s skills, calling him the fastest climber in the world with multiple records, including the fastest summit of Nanga Parbat and Gasherbrum-II.
He notes that Vadim typically ascends with minimal gear to move faster, which made it necessary to provide him with extra layers.
“After around three hours, some Nepalese Sherpas arrived to drop their equipment at Camp 3. Together, we rescued the French climber to the main rope, from where he was airlifted to Kathmandu. He is now recovering well in France,” says Khan.
Summiting humanity
The humble Khan says he never intended to publicise his deed, as it was purely an act of humanity—which is why he never shared it on social media.
However, after Vadim posted about it, he began receiving calls from around the world, including France.
“French people call me to thank me for saving a Frenchman. But I tell them I saved a human,” Khan adds.
About his plans to summit Kanchenjunga (to complete all 14 peaks without oxygen support), he says he initially wanted to go directly for the final climb.
“The accident left me mentally and physically exhausted, so I chose to return home, spend time with my family, take rest, and prepare for the next mission,” he explains.
I salute Sirbaz for his bravery, bringing respect and pride to Pakistan.” – Abdul Joshi, mountaineer.
Commenting on the heroic rescue, Karrar Haidri, secretary of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, the national mountaineering governing body, says such acts are rare at high altitudes, where climbers battle harsh weather and fight for their own survival.
“In such extreme conditions and treacherous terrain, rescuing a man is a remarkable achievement. Sirbaz has set an example for the mountaineering community,” he adds.
Likewise, a renowned climber from Shimsal Valley in Hunza, Abdul Joshi, notes that rescues above 6,000 meters are exceptionally difficult due to limited mobility.
“Vadim was lucky that Sirbaz saw him fall. Sirbaz displayed immense courage and professionalism. Had it been another commercial climber in his place, Vadim’s survival would have been at risk,” Joshi, who, along with Sirbaz, summited the peak with the help of supplementary oxygen on 16 April 2021.
The 42-year-old climber emphasises that rescuing a climber at such an altitude and extracting someone from a crevasse is a monumental feat.
“I salute Sirbaz for his bravery, bringing respect and pride to Pakistan,” Joshi concludes.
