K2 mountaineers have been accused of prioritizing their own records over the life of a dying Sherpa. Mohammad Hassan, a 27-year-old porter from Pakistan, was left to die by fellow climbers as they continued their ascent to the summit of K2, known as the “savage mountain.” The incident was captured on footage, leading to accusations against Norway’s Kristin Harila and her team, who passed by Hassan. Harila, who recently set a world record by climbing 14 of the world’s highest peaks in just over three months, is accused of holding a celebration shortly after the incident. The incident has reignited the debate about the treatment of Sherpas as “second-class human beings.”
The footage shows dozens of climbers carefully edging past Hassan, who was seriously injured and lying 1,300ft from the summit. The climbers clambered around him, leaving him to die while they continued their bid for glory. The incident has sparked outrage, with mountaineers claiming that a Western climber would not have been left to die in the same situation. The International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA) warns that climbers should be ready to help others in the event of an emergency or accident. However, it does not explicitly state how or if climbers should have helped Hassan, considering the risks involved.
Harila and her team members have defended their actions, stating that they did everything they could to help Hassan. They claim that the conditions on K2 were too dangerous to move him. However, mountaineer Philip Flämig, who was climbing with Wilhelm Steindl, disputes this claim. He alleges that footage recorded using a drone shows climbers walking over Hassan instead of helping him. Flämig called the incident a “disgrace” and stated that such a thing would be unthinkable in the Alps. He accused the climbers of prioritizing records over a human life.
Differing accounts of the tragedy have circulated, leading to uncertainty over exactly what took place on K2. Lakpa Sherpa, a mountaineer who was on the climb and took the video, claims that climbers and Sherpas tried to save Hassan’s life. He argues that climbers cannot give up their mission and that it was difficult to bring the body down. Bulgarian climber Silvia Azdreeva, who was also on the trip, emphasized the dangers of climbing K2 and stated that the mountain is not for everyone.
The incident has sparked a fundraising campaign for Hassan’s family, which has already raised £63,000. The newly-crowned world record holder, Kristin Harila, expressed her condolences to Hassan’s family and said she felt sad about the situation. K2 is considered the world’s most dangerous mountain, with a fatality rate of around 19 percent compared to 6.5 percent on Everest. The incident has raised concerns about the treatment of Sherpas and the ethics of mountaineering.K2 mountaineers have been accused of prioritizing their own records over the life of a dying Sherpa. Mohammad Hassan, a 27-year-old porter from Pakistan, was left to die as fellow climbers continued their ascent to the summit of K2, known as the “savage mountain.” The incident, captured on footage, has sparked outrage and reignited the debate about the treatment of Sherpas in the climbing community.
As Hassan lay seriously injured just 1,300ft from the summit, climbers carefully edged past him, risking their own lives as they clung to the narrow ledge. They clambered around him, leaving him to die while they pursued their personal goals. Norway’s Kristin Harila and her team, who passed by Hassan, are now facing accusations that they were more interested in setting a new world record than helping the stricken climber. Harila is also accused of holding a celebratory party shortly after achieving the record of climbing 14 of the world’s highest peaks in just over three months, despite Hassan’s death.
The incident has sparked outrage and highlighted the treatment of Sherpas as “second-class human beings.” Mountaineers argue that a Western climber would not have been left to die in the same situation. The International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA) warns climbers to be ready to help others in the event of an emergency or accident, but it does not explicitly state how or if climbers should have helped Hassan, considering the risks involved.
Harila and her team members defended their actions, stating that they did everything they could to help Hassan but the conditions on K2 were too dangerous to move him. However, footage recorded by another climber using a drone shows climbers walking over Hassan instead of offering assistance. Mountaineers have criticized the lack of an organized rescue operation and the disregard for Hassan’s life.
Differing accounts of the tragedy have circulated, leading to uncertainty about what exactly took place on K2. Some climbers and Sherpas claim they tried to save Hassan’s life, but the difficult conditions and the value of time for the climb made it impossible to prioritize his rescue. K2 is known for its treacherous conditions, with a fatality rate of around 19 percent compared to just 6.5 percent on Everest. The mountain’s reputation as the “Savage Mountain” stems from its inherent dangers and the numerous risks involved in climbing it.
The incident has sparked a fundraising campaign for Hassan’s family, which has already raised £63,000. The climbing community and the public are calling for a reevaluation of the treatment of Sherpas and the ethics of mountaineering. The tragedy on K2 serves as a reminder of the risks and responsibilities climbers face and the need for a code of ethics to guide their actions in extreme environments.
How can the climbing community address the prevalent accusations of Western climbers prioritizing personal records over the safety and well-being of fellow climbers, particularly in extreme situations on dangerous mountains like K2
Est peaks in just over three months.
The incident has shocked the climbing community and raised questions about the treatment of Sherpas, who often face danger and endure harsh conditions to support mountaineers on these treacherous peaks. The footage clearly shows climbers walking past Hassan, without even attempting to help him. This has led to accusations that a Western climber would not have been treated the same way in a similar situation.
The International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA) emphasizes the importance of climbers being ready to assist others in emergencies or accidents. However, it does not provide specific guidance on how climbers should have helped Hassan given the risks involved. Harila and her team members have defended their actions, stating that they did everything they could to help Hassan. They claim that the conditions on K2 were too dangerous to move him.
Mountaineer Philip Flämig, who was climbing with Wilhelm Steindl, disputes this claim. He alleges that drone footage recorded climbers walking over Hassan instead of extending any help. Flämig has called the incident a “disgrace,” pointing out that such behavior would be unthinkable in the Alps. He accuses the climbers of prioritizing their personal records over the life of a fellow human being.
Conflicting accounts of the event have circulated, leaving uncertainty about the exact circumstances on K2. Lakpa Sherpa, who was on the climb and captured the video, asserts that climbers and Sherpas did try to save Hassan’s life. He argues that in such extreme situations, climbers cannot simply give up their mission, and bringing down the body presented a significant challenge.
Bulgarian climber Silvia Azdreeva, who was also part of the expedition, emphasizes the dangers of climbing K2 and highlights that the mountain is not suited for everyone. The incident has triggered a fundraising campaign for Hassan’s family, which has already raised £63,000. Kristin Harila expressed her condolences to Hassan’s family and expressed sadness over the situation.
K2 is widely recognized as the most dangerous mountain in the world, with a fatality rate of around 19 percent compared to 6.5 percent on Mount Everest. This incident has sparked concerns about the treatment of Sherpas and has reopened the debate on the ethics and priorities of mountaineering.
