UKC

Fingers crossed...

http://www.climbing.com/news/hotflashes/desperate_rescue_in_the_karakoram/

In reply to jaysus: indeed, fingers and toes

Been going for a week now. All info day by day on Desnivel.com. You'll need google to translate.
Hope everything goes well.

In reply to jaysus:
Big up to Álvaro Novellón, who dragged Oscar Perez down the mountain till he got to a point where he couldn't take him up a step, made him and put him in a bivy, gave him his sleeping bag all the food and fuel, and descended alone from 6300 to BC last Thursday to raise the alarm. And even though he's suffering badly from frostbite, he's now climbing back up the mountain to assist him.

In reply to jaysus:

Any update on this??

In reply to jaysus:
A pakistani helicopter arrived today and ferried a team of climbers to the side side to of the mountain, the team is formed by 2 americans who just came down from K2, 4 spanish and 3 porters and will start climbing in the morning.
At the same time a Lama helicopter has ferried gear and a team of 7 porters up to BC at 4700m and they will be fixing ropes from tomorrow to assist the rescue team when they start heading down.
Another small team is already climbing through the night, they expect to reach Oscar in the next day or two.
A helicopter recce couldn't confirm Oscar's condition, though it's not looking good. He's got food and fuel, but has been stuck in a bivy at 6300m with a broken arm and a broken leg for 8 days, though rescuers won't slow their effort until he's either down or confirmed dead.

In reply to Mr Lopez: What a horrific position to be in, I can't imagine what it must be like (for Oscar or for the rescuers). Fingers crossed for a positive outcome.

In reply to Aly:

Certainly is, Oscar's position is more than horrific, the amount of pain, cold and loneliness he must be feeling is unthinkable, he doesn't even have a radio.
Alvaro is probably suffering the most, having had to leave his partner up there after dragging him down for a full day, he had to be almost forcibly restrained to stop him going back up straight after he raised the alarm, and refused to be evacuated to get his injuries seen at. He's one of the 2 climbers who are climbing through the clock to get to Oscar.
7 other members of the rescue team flew from Spain as soon as they heard of the situation, and are giving it all trying to get as high as possible just 24 hours after landing in Islamabad with no acclimatisation whatsoever.

Some info in english, though outdated and not completely accurate here:
http://www.k2climb.net/news.php?id=18587
http://www.mounteverest.net/news.php?id=18583

In reply to Mr Lopez:

Am i right in thinking that the climbing starts at about 5800 and he is stuck at 6200? A little hope.

In reply to felixthelion:
The climbing starts from BC at around 4500m, from there is a very steep climb to the col in the ridge at 5800, and then they are looking at a ridge climb of another 500m, which will be the 'crux' in the descent
Photo with the line of the route here http://www.explorersweb.com/sitemedia/images/everest/20090812xoscar2.jpg

The team of Alvaro and Fabricio Zangrilli has had to retreat, and is now joining the main rescue party, the new estimates are for 72 hours to reach him, so they expect to get to Oscar on Sunday.
A helicopter flew at 6100m today to try to let Oscar know they are not giving up and try to give him hope, but they won't try a helicopter rescue because he's not Tomasz Humar... (He's not famous or have high rise contacts).
Some photos were taken and they are going through them to try to locate his position and to see if there are any clues of whether he is still alive or not.

In reply to Mr Lopez:

they won't try a helicopter rescue because he's not Tomasz Humar... (He's not famous or have high rise contacts).

A bit harsh that. Tomasz was known to be concious and able to attach himself to the helicopter and crucially, unattach himself from the wall which was crucial to the rescue. This isn't the case for this rescue.

Lets hope there's a happy outcome.

In reply to Eric the Red:


Tomasz did not unattach himself from the wall, which almost caused for the helicopter to crash killing everyone on board. He tried to cut the ropes but his hands were unable to even grab the knife. The fact that the prussick cord snapped just before the heli plunged is considered by the pilot a miracle.
Also, they had a rescue team from Switzerland on stand-by to do a winched rescue if the Pakistani attempt failed.
The pilot thought the rescue almost impossible and extremely dangerous due to Tomasz's position, not just the altitude. The reason why he performed such a dangerous rescue was because he had direct orders from President Musharraf to do the rescue at any cost. The pilots had no choice.

Oscar's position is much easier to access, being in the ridge the helicopter would have not obstacles, unlike in Humar's rescue were the heli's rotor blades were centimetres from the wall and it had to approach hovering sideways under an overhanging rock wall.

In reply to jaysus:

The Pakistan army has some high altitude helicopters that can certainly get to mid-6000m in calm weather with pilot plus one on board. I flew in one to this height last year in an attempted rescue on Shimshal Whitehorn. Getting helicopters involved in the Karakoram is never straight-forward whoever you are and the army are a bit of a law to their own regarding the rules. Often a week can be lost just trying to get them out. Big expeditions have a liason officer which can sometimes make a small difference as they are military (when they are actually around BC that is). The rescue I was involved in was for a climber with no reputation and I don't think that has anything to do with it.

In reply to Mr. Lee:
The pakistani army is already assisting by ferrying loads and climbers around and helping as much as they can in the rescue. Is the going above the 'legal' ceiling that they are not willing to do.
They can't be blamed though, they are already risking their lifes now, and attempting the rescue would place them in considerable danger, but it makes you think on why some people get special treatment...

Ah, and their expedition was a 2 man team...

In reply to jaysus:
Some photos taken by the helicopter have been released. It seems Oscar is not in the ridge after all, but down in the face.

These show his position.
http://www.p-guara.com/alta-dificultad/2009-latok(1)/6.jpg
http://www.p-guara.com/alta-dificultad/2009-latok(1)/4.jpg
And in this is shown (in red) the fall form the ridge in descent and the line that Alvaro took him down until the ledge where he they couldn't go anymore.
http://www.p-guara.com/alta-dificultad/2009-latok(1)/4.jpg

In reply to Mr Lopez:


Badly spelt and wrong photo... Mmmmmmh

In this it's shown the fall from the ridge(...)
http://www.p-guara.com/alta-dificultad/2009-latok(1)/8.jpg

In reply to Mr Lopez: Any reports on whether he is still alive? I hope they get him down soon.

In reply to drunken monkey:

No yet unfortunately.
The first team climbing up to the col was replaced last night by a second team, so they keep working 24 hours a day non-stop.
They are confident they'll reach the ledge within 2 days maximum. Let's hope it has a happy ending.

In reply to Mr Lopez: According to our local rag the chopper was going to drop him a phone?

In reply to Al Evans:
Not heard of that, and i reckon it'd be pretty difficult to chuck him a phone in the position he's on.

If you can understand Spanish, this is the site of the club from which Oscar, Alvaro and the rescue team are members. This is the club who is organising the rescue and also the only people who's having direct telephone contact with them.
http://www.p-guara.com/alta-dificultad/2009-latok(1)01.htm#4

In reply to Mr Lopez: Well lets just hope there is a good outcome :-X

In reply to Al Evans:
I know Fabrizio. He's very strong. As I remember he put an injured climber on his back near the top of K2 and carried him down.

In reply to jaysus: Bad News.


"Sunday August 16 2009.16:00 hours.

By common agreement of the three working groups (Field Base, Skardu and club Peña Guara in Huesca) of rescue operation by Oscar Perez, who leads the mountaineer Aragonese ten days trapped in látok 2 (7108 meters), we have decided to suspend the rescue activities before the advance of bad weather that prevented continuation of this work, the technical difficulties of the route, the few chances of finding life with Oscar, and above all, the security risk of the carriers and the high wall climbing in this difficult in poor condition.

Coldly analyzing the situation, Pena Guara Club has given orders to suspend the operation and has been informed in Skardu Sebastián Alvaro, the Spanish ambassador in Islamabad, Don Gonzalo Quintero and Jordi Corominas in the base camp by giving appropriate instructions to the rescue group to return to Spain.

All those involved in the rescue want to thank the outpouring of support from as many people have approached us, and the effort and support of: President of the Government of Spain, President of the Government of Aragon, Spain Embassy in Islamabad, Consejo Superior de Deportes , subdelegation government in Huesca, Huesca County and City authorities and the Pakistani army, FIATC insurance, media, and all the people who these days have been supporting this complex operation.

We want to have a special thanks to the team that operates in Pakistan, especially Sebastián Álvaro, the Americans and the Spanish climbers, the carriers and carriers of the high base camp. All of them these days, are working to their limits.

At this time of sadness and frustration, since we have only Peña Guara express our understanding of families and loved ones of the expedition.
"

Copied from google translation of http://www.p-guara.com/alta-dificultad/2009-latok(1)01.htm#4

In reply to Removed User:

bugger... I just hope he was already dead or past knowing.

In reply to jaysus:
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1916483,00.html

In reply to jaysus: a sad ending. condolences to the family. m

In reply to Mr Lopez: Desperately sad news. Condolences to family and friends.

In reply to Rip van Winkle: Sad indeed, condolences to all affected.