At least seven mountaineers die while climbing K2

Sunday, August 3, 2008

At least seven mountaineers have died while climbing K2, the second highest mountain in the world. The accident was reportedly caused by a rock slide or an avalanche that severed all the ropes used for ascent and descent.

Initial reports state that seventeen climbers ascended the mountain in two groups, with both reaching the summit successfully. The reports also state that after the avalanche, some climbers attempted to return without ropes.

The summit was covered in clouds late yesterday afternoon and the conditions in the mountain continued to deteriorate. Some of the latest reports indicate that eight climbers were stuck at the summit, unable to descend. Four of these climbers are Norwegian nationals. The conditions at the summit during night are extreme and offer very limited chances for survival for people unable to descend.

In an unrelated incident, a Serbian climber and his sherpa fell down during the initial descent. This incident was, however, unrelated to the other deaths caused by the avalanche.

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Sources

"At least seven climbers die on K2: tour operators" — Agence France-Presse, August 3, 2008
"Himalaja-trilogia" — YLE, Retrieved August 3, 2008 (Finnish)
"Vuorikiipeilijöitä menehtynyt Himalajalla" — YLE, August 2, 2008 (Finnish)
"K2: morti e dispersi, salvo per miracolo lo scalatore italiano Marco Confortola" — Corriere Dela Sera, August 2, 2008 (Italian)
"Fyra döda i klättringsolycka" — Dagens Nyheter, August 2, 2008 (Swedish)

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This page is archived, and is no longer publicly editable.

Articles presented on Wikinews reflect the specific time at which they were written and published, and do not attempt to encompass events or knowledge which occur or become known after their publication.

Got a correction? Add the template {{editprotected}} to the talk page along with your corrections, and it will be brought to the attention of the administrators.

Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections.

Note that some listed sources or external links may no longer be available online due to age.