A Chinese climber has died after being struck by falling rocks while descending from K2, the world’s second-highest mountain, in northern Pakistan.
The victim, identified as Guan Jing, was hit on Tuesday while making her way down from the 8,611-metre peak, just a day after successfully reaching the summit with a team of fellow mountaineers, according to Faizullah Faraq, a spokesman for the Gilgit-Baltistan regional government.
Officials said efforts are currently underway to recover her body from the mountain’s hazardous slopes.
The Pakistan Alpine Club confirmed her death and reported that she had reached the summit on Monday before the fatal accident occurred.
One of the World’s Most Dangerous Climbs
Located in the Karakoram range, K2 is widely considered one of the most treacherous peaks in the world. Its sheer slopes, unpredictable weather, and high risk of avalanches and rockfalls make it deadlier than Mount Everest for many climbers attempting the ascent.
Nicknamed the “Savage Mountain”, K2 attracts elite mountaineers from around the globe, but its extreme conditions mean that even experienced climbers face significant danger.
Pakistan’s High-Altitude Allure and Risks
Pakistan is home to five of the world’s 14 peaks over 8,000 metres, making it a magnet for international climbing expeditions during the summer season. The Gilgit-Baltistan region in particular sees heavy mountaineering traffic, especially to K2, Nanga Parbat, and Broad Peak.
Guan Jing’s death follows another recent tragedy in Pakistan’s high mountains. Just two weeks earlier, German Olympic gold medallist Laura Dahlmeier died while attempting to scale a separate peak in the region.
Recovery Efforts Underway
Rescue and recovery operations on K2 are notoriously difficult due to the mountain’s altitude, harsh weather, and dangerous terrain. Rockfalls — like the one that claimed Guan Jing’s life — can occur suddenly and without warning, particularly during descent when climbers are fatigued and weather conditions can change rapidly.
Officials have not yet confirmed when Guan Jing’s body will be retrieved or whether it will be brought down from the mountain or interred locally, a decision often dictated by safety and weather conditions.
K2 remains one of the ultimate challenges for the climbing community — and one of the deadliest.
