Waldemar Kowalewski’s ordeal on Broad Peak is almost but not quite over. The Polish climber, who broke his leg in an avalanche on Friday, was supposed to fly by helicopter to a hospital in Skardu today. But bad weather has grounded the flight until tomorrow.
File image of Waldemar Kowalewski. Photo: Seven Summit Treks
An avalanche hit Kowalewski, 45, as he was descending from Camp 3 in risky conditions. His partners helped him down to a tent at 6,500m, from which a Sherpa rescue team brought him down to Advanced Base Camp. Local climbers then helped him the rest of the way down.
Sherpa rescuers
The Sherpa rescuers were Dawa Sangay Sherpa, Pasang Tenje Sherpa, and Mingtemba Sherpa. All three work for Seven Summit Treks, assisting climbers and fixing ropes on K2. However, bad conditions on the mountain during the second half of last week forced the teams to halt the rope fixing. Everybody was waiting in Base Camp, and so were available. Israfil Ashurli of Azerbaijan coordinated the rescue.
Photos of the Sherpa team as they approached the injured climber on the mountain and after the rescue, recovering in Base Camp. Photos by Lukasz Supergan
The three set off from Broad Peak’s Base Camp on Saturday night and reached Kowalewski Sunday morning. By evening, they had passed Camp 1 and continued down until they met a second local team dispatched from Base Camp to relieve them. Kowalewski arrived back in Base Camp that night, weak but conscious.
