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Polish expedition to conquer K2 called off amid pandemic

24.06.2020 13:17
A Polish expedition to scale the world’s second tallest mountain in winter has been called off amid the coronavirus pandemic.
K2
K2 Photo: Maria Ly from San Francisco, USA - K2, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14701917

The K2 mountain has never been climbed in winter. The Poles were planning their expedition for the end of this year and the start of 2021.

The Polish climbers are not sure whether they would be able to reach a base under K2 in December due to restrictions on international travel and in Pakistan, public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency reported.

Poles attempted to scale K2 in 2018. That expedition was marked by dramatic twists and turns, and was finally called off.

Two of the climbers, including Denis Urubko, diverted from the expedition to carry out a dangerous rescue of a French woman stranded on Nanga Parbat in northern Pakistan, the ninth-tallest mountain in the world.

After returning, Urubko broke away from the expedition and launched a failed solo attempt to conquer K2.

(pk)

Source: IAR