Night has fallen on K2. In the midst of confusion created by the lack of official information on one side, and the proliferation of fake news and impersonated accounts on another, there is finally some confirmed good news. Chhang Dawa reports that Sajid Sadpara has made it to Base Camp, although there is no detail concerning young Sadpara’s condition.
Tomorrow, weather permitting, a helicopter should bring two more Pakistani rescuers to Base Camp, ready to search for John Snorri, Ali Sadpara and Juan Pablo Mohr. The helicopter will then leave to take climbers who have been injured or frostbitten back to Skardu.
Akbar and Imtiaz are spending the night in Camp 1. In the morning they hope to resume their search up the Abruzzi Spur. Unfortunately, efforts to pinpoint John Snorri’s position using the signal from his Thuraya phone have not provided conclusive results.
The longer the climbers remain missing, the scarcer the possibility of finding them alive. And yet, a glimmer of hope keeps their families and friends going.
About the Author
Angela Benavides
Senior journalist, published author and communication consultant. Specialized on high-altitude mountaineering, with an interest for everything around the mountains: from economics to geopolitics. After five years exploring distant professional ranges, I returned to ExWeb BC in 2018. Feeling right at home since then!
Hoping against the hope
I am not sure survival on k2 is possible for consecutive two nights. May be experts could say more but this is not looking good sadly.
Wilco van Rooijen Did in 2008,but weather wasn’t as harsh and his team met him in C2 with food and shelter. Still hoping for a positive outcome tho.
Thats right, in 2008 it ALL happened in Summer.
Thanks. Thats right. The key is hope John and team were not hit by gale force winds, avalanche, rockfall or a serac fall in which case survival chances are minimal.
Yes, Jerzy Kukuczka in 1985 on Dhaulagiri in winter 21-23 January, two nights without tent, first at 7800m, another night lower. There is still hope…
The rescuers would need to be well acclimatized?
Ich bin unendlich traurig, obwohl ich immer noch ein wenig Hoffnung habe! Seit Anfang Januar verfolge ich nun diese Helden, die ihren Traum am K2 leben. Gott sei mit ihnen!
Jeez it hurts seeing no new updates coming in…
Can’t imagine what they might have gone through or are still going through…
My thoughts are with everyone involved. I pray as much as I can.
Marten.
I have been watching anxiously from CO since the new year and I believe in these men. Praying for unbelievable news here and for k2 to be merciful.
se debe de investigar que paso en el campo3 la noche previa a la ascension a la cima del k2, 2 tiendas para 14 personas, no era lo correcto. Seven Summit Tours. tiene que aclara la mala previsión de tiendas, que obligo a un hacinamiento que no dejo descansar y comer ni hidratarse dado que seria imposible, por falta de espacio. Aqui empezo es tragedia, aparte tambien de investigar como es posible que dos escaladores con amplia experiencia se mataran por problemas con las cuerdas fijas.
Thank you for the updates Angela, fingers very much crossed for the outcome we’re all hoping for.
they lost contact at bottle neck around 6pm before they informed the base camp that they will go for a summit which was very unusual decision at that time of the day, may be they got on top and couldn’t come down because of weather and decided to wait until weather gets better its hard but as one of them was carrying a tent may be they still have survived????
What is the source of this information? For what I know, last contact with them was when Sajid turned back at the Bottleneck and whether they carry a tent or not has not been confirmed in public.
May Allah (the GOD) protect all SADPARA, JOHN and PABLO.
Sajid ali Sadpara just gave a statement in Skardu that “there are very rare chances that they are alive at 8000 meter. but search operation to search their bodies is ok to continue”
https://www.facebook.com/groups/thekarakoramclub/permalink/1458574397823726/