2021 K2 disaster

2021 K2 disaster
Date5 February 2021 (2021-02-05)
LocationK2
CauseUnknown, possibly by fall
Deaths3

On 5 February 2021, three mountaineers went missing while attempting to summit K2 without supplementary oxygen, braving extreme winter conditions.[1] After extensive search and rescue efforts, they were declared dead. The group included seasoned climbers: Ali Sadpara, a veteran mountaineer; his 21-year-old son, Sajid Sadpara; Icelandic mountaineer John Snorri Sigurjónsson; and Chilean climber Juan Pablo Mohr Prieto. Sajid Sadpara survived, while the others died during the expedition.[2][3][4][5]

Ascent

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On 4 February 2021, the group of four mountaineers began a winter expedition of K2, with the intention of making history by conquering the mountain in the winter without supplementary oxygen.[6][7]

Weeks before, Nepalese-British mountaineer Nirmal Purja and a group of nine Nepalese mountaineers had made history by ascending the mountain in the harsh weather for the first time.[8][9]

Bottleneck

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On 5 February 2021, when the group reached the Bottleneck, a particularly technical part of the climb, Sajid Sadpara started feeling altitude sickness. His father, Ali Sadpara, advised him to use some oxygen from the emergency kit. The kit malfunctioned and he decided to return to Camp 3, where he planned to await the return of his companions. This was the last time the three mountaineers were seen.

Sajid Sadpara waited hours at Camp 3, but when they did not return at the scheduled time, he started preparing for the worst. Sajid returned to the base camp to arrange a search and rescue mission.[10]

Search and rescue mission

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On 6 February 2021, a search and rescue mission was arranged, with Sajid Sadpara, assisting the team. Helicopters flew up to 7,000 meters but were not able to locate the lost mountaineers. After the weather conditions worsened, the search and rescue operation was called off. Experts speculated that the three lost mountaineers would have perished by that time, as they were lost in the death zone, where the chance of survival was slim to none.[11]

Sajid continued looking for the bodies for the next few months with the assistance of other mountaineers and volunteers.[12] The bodies of the three mountaineers were found in July, four months after their disappearance, when the snow started thawing. They were found hanging by the safety ropes near the Bottleneck. As it was not possible to bring back the bodies, the three mountaineers were interred in the snow on K2.[13][14]

Commenting on the death of his father and his mountaineering companions, Sajid Sadpara said:

He set many records including the winter ascent of Nanga Parbat in 2016 and earned immense respect and praise from the best climbers in the world. This is his lasting legacy.[2]

List of fatalities

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Name Nationality Date Cause of death
Ali Sadpara  Pakistan 5 February 2021 Precise details unknown; possibly by fall.
John Snorri Sigurjónsson  Iceland
Juan Pablo Mohr Prieto  Chile

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Missing K2 climbers: Families say 'only a miracle can bring them back alive' as bad weather halts search". Sky News. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Death on the Savage Mountain: The 2021 K2 Disaster". Infamous Incidents. 6 April 2024. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  3. ^ "Explainer: What could have happened to Ali Sadpara?". The Express Tribune. 18 February 2021. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  4. ^ "Missing K2 climbers: Families say 'only a miracle can bring them back alive' as bad weather halts search". Sky News. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  5. ^ Sharma, Shweta (19 February 2021). "K2 search: Three mountaineers, including one of Pakistan's most famous climbers, declared dead". Independent UK.
  6. ^ "Pakistan's Ali Sadpara: The climber who never came back from K2". BBC News. 13 February 2021. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  7. ^ "Pakistan's Ali Sadpara: The climber who never came back from K2". 13 February 2021. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  8. ^ Skolnick, Adam; Sharma, Bhadra (19 January 2021). "How Climbers Reached the Summit of K2 in Winter for the First Time". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  9. ^ Levy, Michael (4 January 2022). "A Climber We Lost: Muhammad Ali Sadpara, February 5". Climbing. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  10. ^ Jajja, Sumaira (18 February 2021). "Sadpara, two other mountaineers missing on K2 declared dead". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  11. ^ Jajja, Sumaira (18 February 2021). "Sadpara, two other mountaineers missing on K2 declared dead". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  12. ^ Shahid, Jamal (24 July 2021). "Three-member expedition on K2 in search of missing climbers". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  13. ^ "Pakistan's Sajid Ali Sadpara on his late father, his love for mountaineering". gulfnews.com. 14 February 2023. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  14. ^ Jajja, Sumaira (26 July 2021). "Bodies of Muhammad Ali Sadpara, Snorri and Mohr found on K2". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
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