Tragedy on Karakoram – Karl Unterkircher feared lost on Nanga Parbat. /Version english and polish/

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Karl Unterkircher feared lost on Nanga Parbat.

Jul 16, 2008 (K2Climb.net) Sad news from Nanga Parbat, where Italian Karl Unterkircher reportedly died in a crevasse fall on the Rakhiot face yesterday. Unterkircher was opening a new route together with Walter Nones and Simon Kehrer; themselves in a tough spot right now.

Nanga Parbat: Unterkircher perished in crevasse fall

Details are still sketchy, but Montagna.org. reports that Unterkircher was breaking trail slightly above 6000m, when a snow ledge collapsed below him and he fell into a crevasse. Walter and Simon reportedly spent the entire night trying to save their buddy, all their efforts in vain. Earlier today, Walter managed to report the news to Karl’s wife in a brief conversation over the sat-phone.

“We can’t climb back – it’s too dangerous,” Nones said. “We are OK, already at 6,400m and out of the serac area. Now we must proceed further up to 7000 meters, in order to exit the face. Then we will go down the fastest and safest route.”

Unterkircher, Nones and Kehrer were opening a new route on Nanga’s Rakhiot face. As a preparatory climb, the three climbers had opened a new route up the west ridge of Chongra Peak (6.824m), in alpine style. After a tough bivouac on the ridge, the team topped out on July 3rd, completing Chongra’s second ascent.

As for other teams on Nanga, Shared Summits checked in yesterday from Kinshoffer route’s C1, on the mountain’s Diamir side.

Pakistan wrap-up: Nanga Parbat rescue ON – Mondinelli to help Walter and Simon out.

Jul 18, 2008 (K2Climb.net/Madrid) A rescue operation is ready to be launched on Nanga Parbat, where Italians Walter and Simon are trying to reach the summit ridge up the Rakhiot face, in order to descend down the normal route on the mountain’s Diamir side.

Silvio ‘Gnaro’ Mondinelli has been urgently airlifted from Italy and, together with Mauricio Gallo, are already in BC. Chris Warner and an Italian team are also holding to help from the Diamir side. The Iranian team who summited 5 yesterday are meanwhile searching for a team mate around camp 3.

Nanga Parbat: ‘Gnaro’ Mondinelli to Walter and Simon’s rescue

As soon as news broke about Karl Unterkircher losing his life on Nanga’s Rakhiot face, and his two mates in a tough spot to exit the wall, expedition organizer Agostino da Polenza launched a rescue mission. 14x8000ers summiteer Silvio ´Gnaro’ Mondinelli and Maurizio Gallo got on a plane to Pakistan and reached BC only one day later, according to Montagna.org.

There is hope that Walter and Simon may be able to descend on their own. Mondinelli and Maurizio will at first provide moral and comms support; yet if more help is needed the two will ask Simone Moro, currently in the nearby Batura area, and Marco Confortola, in K2’s BC – for help.

Yesterday evening Walter and Simon were spotted pitching a tent at 6,950m, some 200 vertical meters below the top of Bazin glacier, which they have to exit in order to reach the summit ridge and then a pass to the safer Diamir side. Meanwhile, military Pakistani chopper pilots have been scouting the face.

While Mondinelli and Gallo are evaluating the situation and hoping to join the pilots for a surveillance flight today, there is news of an Italian expedition currently climbing down the normal Kinshofer route on the mountain’s Diamir side. The Italians have left two tents in C4, at 7,200m. Chris Warner’s American team, also climbing the Kinshofer route, have told rescuers that the entire route is fixed, and offered their help.

Weather conditions today on Nanga Parbat are 30 km/h winds at 7500m and light snow fall in the afternoon. Conditions are forecasted to remain until Monday, when the weather may turn for the worse.

Minoo also sent a report today about the Iranian team, who summited 5 out of their members yesterday on Nanga Parbat’s normal route (Leyla, Kazem, Sahand, Ehsan and Hossein). Apparently, Saman Nemati turned back at 7800m, heading down to C4. On their descent from the summit, his team mates didn’t find Saman in the high camp and are at the moment searching for him around C3.

* Read these stories – and more! – at ExplorersWeb.com

** see alsow :

Official site –  http://www.karlunterkircher.com/

… latest video – K.Unterkircher Exped. Nanga Parbat 2008 Chongra 6830 m – 8th

Karl Unterkircher zginął na Nanga Parbat.

Zaledwie kilka dni temu informowaliśmy o wejściu zespołu w składzie Karl Unterkircher, Walter Nones i Simon Kehrer na na Chongra Peak (6830 m n.p.m.). Szczyt ten znajduje się w rejonie Nanga Parbat, która stała się kolejnym celem wyprawy. Niestety właśnie na Nanga Parbat, podczas próby przejścia nowej drogi na ścianie Rakhiot zginął Karl Unterkircher.

Wypadek zdarzył się na wyskości ok. 6000 m. Karl torował drogę i wpadł do szczeliny ukrytej pod śniegiem. Walter i Simon całą noc prowadzili akcję ratunkową, niestety bezskutecznie. Teraz by wydostać się ze ściany wspinacze muszą wspiąć się na wysokość 7000 m – odwrót przez pas seraków jest zbyt niebezpieczny.

Ściana Rakhiot i planowana droga wyprawy
(fot. karlunterkircher.com)

Karl Unterkircher pochodzi z Górnej Adygi. Zasłynął w 2004 roku wejściem w jednym sezonie bez tlenu na Mount Everest i na K2. W zeszłym roku wszedł na szczyt Jasemba, dziewiczą południową ścianą oraz przeszedł również dziewiczą północną ścianą Gaszerbrum II. Był uznawany za jednego z najlepszych himalaistów włoskich.

**Źródła: –  http://www.wspinanie.pl/ –  k2climb.net

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