Australian, Canadian climbers die on Pakistan’s K2

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ISLAMABAD — An Australian and a Canadian mountain climber died final week in northern Pakistan whereas trying to scale K2, the world’s second-highest mountain, officers from the 2 nations stated Thursday.

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The demise of Matthew Eakin was introduced by the Australian Division of Overseas Affairs and Commerce, which expressed its “condolences to his household and mates.” His physique was discovered by drone video on Thursday.

Canada’s international affairs division stated in an announcement that it was conscious of the demise of a Canadian in Pakistan. It offered no additional particulars, citing privateness causes and solely saying that officers have been “offering consular help to the household”.

Earlier, a Pakistani mountaineering official and the Canadian Press stated the physique of Richard Cartier, who went lacking in a separate incident on the identical mountain on July 19, had lastly additionally been noticed by a search group on K2. Cartier was 60 and an skilled climber.

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K2, on the Chinese language-Pakistani border within the Karakorum Vary, has one of many deadliest information, with most climbers dying on the descent, the place the slightest mistake can set off an avalanche and turn out to be deadly. Just a few hundred have efficiently reached its summit. In distinction, Mount Everest, the world’s highest mountain, has been summited greater than 9,000 occasions.

Eakin’s devastated mates posted tributes on social media to honor him, saying his demise was an enormous loss to the mountaineering group. One good friend, Felicity Symons, stated about their 23 years of friendship: “I’ll all the time see your smile within the clouds. Relaxation simple my pricey good friend on the mountains you liked.”

Karrar Haidri, the deputy chief of the Pakistan Alpine Membership, which coordinates search and rescue missions with Pakistan’s authorities and navy, confirmed the deaths of Eakin and Cartier.

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“We prolong our condolences to the family and friends members of the Australian and Canadian climbers who died on K2,” Haidri instructed The Related Press.

Additionally final week, a 3rd climber, Ali Akbar Sakki from Afghanistan, died on K2. Sakki suffered a coronary heart assault whereas attempting to scale the summit, Haidri stated.

The Canadian Embassy in Islamabad didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.

The Daybreak, certainly one of Pakistan’s English-language newspapers, reported earlier this week that the 2 climbers had been noticed between Camp 1 and Camp 2 on K2 after they each went lacking on July 19 in separate incidents.

K2 can be among the many coldest and windiest of climbs. At locations alongside the route, climbers should navigate almost sheer rock faces rising 80 levels, whereas avoiding frequent and unpredictable avalanches.

— Related Press author Rod McGuirk in Canberra, Australia, contributed for this report.