“What is more important, ambition or human life?” Azerbaijani climber Israfil Ashurli answered his own rhetorical question yesterday when he gave up his summit push on Broad Peak to help a stricken Romanian known only as George. The incident occurred at 7,700-7,800m when Ashurli found the climber in serious condition.
Abandoning his push, Ashurli dragged him down to 7,300m. Here, other climbers on their way up from Camp 3 pitched in to help. Ashurli didn’t mention their names but noted that they were from Chile, Poland, and Russia. The Chilean blog Ochomiles.cl later revealed that the Chileans were Andrea Garrido and Juan Andres Covarrubias.
The effort left Ashurli too tired to resume his own climb but he plans to try again tonight.
Israfil Ashurli. Photo: Israfil Ashurli/Instagram
Waiting for airlift at Camp 2
The Chileans took the injured climber to their tent in Camp 3. Today, they managed to drag him down to Camp 2. Currently, they are trying to arrange a helicopter evacuation of the injured climber directly from there. They have given up their summit push.
Broad Peak is currently fairly quiet, but it will not remain so for long. A large number of climbers will go there after finishing up with K2.
The Chilean team’s Camp 2 on Broad Peak. Photo: Ochomiles.cl
Broad Peak seems particularly hazardous this season. Besides the death of Pakistan’s Sharif Sadpara, and this latest incident with the unnamed Romanian, other rescues have occurred. Francois Cazanelli of Italy had just completed a new variation route and a blitz ascent of Nanga Parbat and was expected to join the list of speed summiters earlier this week.
Yet he didn’t reach the top with his Italian partners. Instead, when he was almost there, he stopped to help a British climber whose name has also not been disclosed, according to Mountainblog.it.
Francois Cazzanelli. Photo: IG
