K2 mountaineers accused of stepping over dying man in race to the summit

11 August 2023 , 13:32

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Footage showed the mountaineers climbing over Mohammad Hassan

A group of mountaineers have been accused of walking over a dying climber so that "records could be set."

Mohammad Hassan, 27, "was left lying" 1,300ft from the summit of the K2 as the adventurers stepped over him. The father of three lost his life after an avalanche pushed him over a ledge. In footage that has emerged online, people could be seen walking over the sherpa as they ventured to the top of the "savage mountain".

The clip appeared to show one person who managed to keep him conscious before he sadly passed away from his injuries. It was reported that no rescue mission was launched to help him on July 27.

Kristin Harila, 37, and her team, from Norway, faced backlash after they reportedly celebrated a new world record after she climbed 14 of the world's highest peaks within the period of three months. The team is said to have passed the injured climber before they threw a party. Harila denies this.

Austrian climber, Wilhelm Steindl, who took part in the climb, commented: "I didn't go, I was disgusted. Someone had just died up there." Other mountaineers claimed sherpas are often treated like "second-class human beings" compared to Western climbers.

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Mountaineer Philip Flämig, who climbed alongside Wilhelm Steindl, referenced the footage and told Austria's Standard newspaper: "He is being treated by one person while everyone else is pushing towards the summit. The fact is that there was no organised rescue operation although there were Sherpas and mountain guides on site who could have taken action."

Harila said she and her team "did all we could for him". She told The Telegraph last month: "It is simply not true to say that we did nothing to help him. We tried to lift him back up for an hour and a half and my cameraman stayed on for another hour to look after him. At no point was he left alone."

The climbers stepped over him as they avoided the narrow ledge

Some climbers were accused of viewing Sherpas as 'second class'

She added that it was unlikely that he could be saved because he had tripped on "probably the most dangerous part of the mountain where the chances of carrying someone off were limited by the narrow trail and poor snow conditions."

Harlia, who has been named the quickest climber to reach the peaks of all the world, continued: "My heart and thoughts and prayers go out to the family and loved ones of Hassan and I feel very sad about this whole situation."

However, mountaineer Lakpa Sherpa, who filmed the video said "hundreds" of people tried to save him. He told MailOnline: "Some of the climbers and sherpas tried to save his life although he passed away. The climbers have all spent a lot of money to do this climb and there is the value of time too for the climb.

"Hundreds of climbers tried to save him but they cannot give up their mission. Many climbers and sherpas told him to go back as he had very poor equipment and was not well equipped and also there was very bad weather during the summit window but he did not listen and then he fell down."

Monica Charsley