The final report of the fact-finding inquiry committee, established to investigate the unfortunate demise of a high-altitude porter in a tragic K-2 expedition this year has been made public on Thursday.
Headed by the Director Archaeology Gilgit-Baltistan Iqbal Hussain, the inquiry committee members included Rahat Deputy Director Tourism Department Karim Baig; Assistant Commissioner of Shigar; Hamza Murad Rana, Vice President of the Alpine Club of Pakistan Rahmatullah and Sarbaz Khan, a prominent mountaineer and member of Off Tour Operators.
Along with other substantiated evidence, the report has recorded the accounts provided by witnesses who were present at the incident.
The report states that the late Muhammad Hassan was part of the Nepal Pakistan Joint Expedition organized by Lelypack Expedition and Tours Company. The tragic incident took place as the expedition team was navigating through a narrow passage, commonly referred to as a bottleneck, between midnight and 2:00 AM on July 27, 2023.
According to eyewitness accounts from the accident site, the high-altitude porter, Muhammad Hassan, found himself had got stuck when his feet slipped, leading to the unfortunate incident. Rescuing him initially proved challenging due to the extreme altitude, adverse weather conditions, and the pitch-black night
Investigations revealed that a member of the expedition team, renowned mountaineer and photographer Gabriel Tarsau, along with a fellow colleague, reached the site and attempted to pul the Porter up. However, by that that time, due to the lack of oxygen, severe cold, and the extended period of being suspended upside down, Muhammad Hassan’s health had significantly deteriorated.
It is pertinent to note that this location on K-2 is referred to as the “death zone,” where novice climbers struggle with breathing and mobility. They encounter severe physical and mental challenges owing to the lack of oxygen.
During the inquiry, the committee discovered that Muhammad Hassan was undertaking his first expedition on K-2, and his skills were insufficient to successfully navigate the technically difficult expedition. At an elevation of 8200 meters above sea level, the chances of rescue are very low in the event of an accident, the injured adventurers struggle to maintain consciousness at such altitudes for potential rescue efforts.
Additionally, it came to light that Muhammad Hassan was unable to sustain his equilibrium at that altitude, primarily because of intense physical and mental exhaustion, ultimately leading to the tragic accident.
In light of the findings, the committee has formulated comprehensive recommendations aimed at preventing similar accidents in the future and minimizing the tragic loss of precious human lives.
The committee has proposed that specialized training should be conducted to enhance the capacity of the porters who accompany climbers. Furthermore, tour operators should be obliged to provide fully experienced porters to join expedition teams with the necessary equipment to prevent similar accidents.
Recognizing the need for specialized search and rescue teams in high-altitude operations, the committee has called for the establishment of such teams to mitigate the potential loss of life in future. Furthermore, the committee has proposed to revise the current Mountaineering and Adventure Acts, along with an increase in insurance coverage in case of accidents. This includes insurance policy for porters engaged in high-altitude mountaineering and adventure activities.
In a gesture of compassion and recognition, the committee also recommended to provide government financial assistance to the affected family of late Muhammad Hassan. At the same time, it is recommended to give an award to the foreign mountaineer Gabriel Tarsau who risked his life in the spirit of humanitarianism to save Muhammad Hassan despite adverse conditions.
To enforce compliance with safety regulations, the committee has recommended not to issue expedition and tracking permits to the said company for the next year on the basis of non-compliance with the rules.
