On Thursday, Ondrej Huserka of Slovakia fell into a crevasse during his descent of 7,234m Langtang Lirung with Marek Holecek of the Czech Republic. The pair had just completed the first climb of the east face. Holecek couldn’t reach, see, or hear anything from his stricken companion, so he continued down alone. Holecek reached base camp yesterday.
The east face of Langtang Lirung. Photo: Marek Holecek
Miracle needed?
The incident was not made public until today when Eva Miloska of Huserka’s home team sent a message to Poland’s Adam Bielecki. She hoped that Huserka might still be alive, recalling the miraculous case of Anurag Maloo. In 2023, the Indian climber spent three days inside a crevasse on Annapurna until Bielecki led a rescue team that saved him. Somehow, Maloo was still alive.
SOS message from Huserka’s family to Adam Bielecki
However, Bielecki is back home in Poland, too far away to help. But he shared the SOS on his social media: “Anybody in Kathmandu who could help organizing rescue?”
Ukrainians ready to help
He also asked this writer. I then contacted Mykyta Balabanov and Mykhailo Fomin of Ukraine. They had just arrived back in Ama Dablam’s base camp after completing a new route on the West Face. They had not heard the news but immediately volunteered to help.
Balabanov, left, and Fomin at the 2022 Piolets d’Or ceremony.
“The only problem is that we sent all our gear by helicopter to Lukla,” Fomin told ExplorersWeb. “But I think if we are picked up by helicopter, we can first go to Lukla, fetch the gear, and then to Langtang to help.”
They have also said they’ll need Marek Holecek to go with them to point out the crevasse, but Holecek is already in Kathmandu.
The Ukrainians have contacted Huserka’s regular climbing partner Wadim Jablonski, who is coordinating the rescue efforts. “If possible, we will fly there tomorrow,” Fomin said.
In an update today, Jablonski confirmed they have a helicopter ready to fly to Langtang Lirung on Sunday and that they are looking for two climbers to help. It is unconfirmed whether the Ukrainians will take part in the rescue or whether the coordinators will turn to other climbers for logistical reasons.
