KHAPLU:
A tragic accident claimed the life of Chinese mountaineer Guan Jing this week, shortly after she successfully reached the summit of K2, the world’s second-highest peak.
According to Shigar district’s Deputy Commissioner Arif Ahmad, Guan was making her way down from the 8,611-metre summit on Tuesday night when she was struck by falling rocks on the Abruzzi Spur route. “An army aviation team is on standby to recover the body but is waiting for the weather to clear,” Ahmad told AFP.
The Alpine Club of Pakistan, which tracks climbing expeditions in the country, said the incident took place between Camp I and the Advanced Base Camp, a treacherous section notorious for frequent rockfalls.
Guan was among a group of 30 climbers who stood atop K2 on Monday in a successful push to the summit. However, her descent turned fatal just a day later, making her the fourth mountaineer to lose their life during Pakistan’s current summer climbing season.
Although K2 stands 238 metres shorter than Mount Everest, climbers regard it as a far greater challenge due to its steep gradients, unpredictable weather, and technical demands. Straddling the Pakistan-China border, the mountain has long tested the skill, endurance, and luck of even the most experienced alpinists — a reputation sadly underscored by Guan’s untimely death.
