K2 Avalanche Deaths

An avalanche on K2, the world's second highest mountain, killed eleven climbers in what is being reported as the worst climbing accident on the mountain in history. Other climbers are believed to be stranded at 27,000 feet because the avalanche destroyed fixed ropes on a part of the mountain known as the "Bottleneck."¹

Fast Facts

1. K2 height: 28,251 feet or 8,611 meters²
2. Eleven climbers confirmed dead³
3. Chunk of ice from ice pillar broke¹
4. Avalanche destroyed fixed ropes used by expeditions¹
5. Three South Koreans confirmed dead⁴
6. Two Nepalese confirmed dead⁴
7. Climbers from Serbia, Norway, Holland and France dead⁴
8. South Korean expedition unable to descend¹
9. Expedition at 27,000 feet¹
10. Humans unable to survive for long at that altitude
11. K2 considered most challenging mountain on Earth to climb¹
12. Only Mount Everest is higher
13. Worst previous accident: Six died on August 13, 1995 in storm¹
14. K2 has highest climbing fatality rate of any mountain⁵

The Death Zone

In mountaineering, climbers above 8,000 meters are considered to be in the "death zone," where the body begins to deteriorate because of a lack of oxygen. An unknown number of climbers may still be stranded in the "death zone" on K2.⁶

The Dead

• Gerard McDonnell (Ireland) ³
• Dren Mandic (Serbia) ³
• Rolf Bae (Norway) ³
• Kim Hyo (South Korea) ³
• Park Kyeong (South Korea) ³
• Hwang Dong (South Korea) ³
• Jumic Bhote (Nepal) ³
• Pasang Bhote (Nepal) ³
• Jehan Baig (Pakistan) ³
• Meherban Karim (Pakistan) ³
• D'Aubarede Hugues Jean-Louis Marie French (France) ³

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