An inquiry has been initiated in response to the unfortunate death of a Pakistani porter near the peak of K2, one of the world’s most perilous mountains. Allegations have surfaced, indicating that numerous climbers, driven by their eagerness to reach the summit, may have neglected the gravely injured man after a fall.
These claims, stemming from the events of July 27 on K2, have cast a shadow over the accomplishment of Norwegian climber Kristin Harila and her Sherpa guide Tenjin, who, on that same day, achieved a world record by becoming the fastest climbers to conquer the world’s 14 highest mountains in just 92 days.
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Harila firmly denied any responsibility for the tragic passing of the porter, Mohammed Hassan, a 27-year-old father of three who slipped and fell from a treacherous narrow trail in a perilous section of K2 commonly referred to as the ‘bottleneck’. In an Instagram post, Harila expressed frustration with the numerous individuals pointing fingers at others, asserting that no one should be blamed for this unfortunate incident.
Harila found herself defending against accusations made by two fellow climbers, Austrian Wilhelm Steindl and German Philip Flaemig, who had to abort their ascent due to challenging weather conditions. However, they later reconstructed the sequence of events based on drone footage.
According to Harila, Hassan had been suspended from a rope, head-down, following his fall in the bottleneck, which she identified as “probably the most dangerous part of K2.” She explained that at a certain point, she and another member of her team decided to continue toward the summit, while a team member stayed with Hassan, providing him with essential supplies such as warm water and oxygen.
Harila justified her decision to press on, citing difficulties encountered by her forward-fixing team that she chose not to elaborate on during the interview.
Simultaneously, an investigation into Hassan’s tragic death has been initiated, as confirmed by Karrar Haidri, the secretary of the Pakistan Alpine Club, a sports organization that also acts as the governing body for mountaineering in Pakistan. The investigation is being carried out by officials in the Gilgit-Baltistan region, which holds jurisdiction over K2.
The outcome of this investigation holds significant importance in determining the truth surrounding the events and addressing the concerns raised by the allegations linked to Hassan’s unfortunate demise.
