Mountaineer dies in avalanche as he attempts to climb to K2 summit
Scottish mountaineer dies in avalanche on the world’s most dangerous mountain K2 as he attempts to scale an unclimbed route to the summit
- Rick Allen, 68, had been attempting to climb world’s second highest mountain
- The climber, from Aberdeen, was caught in an avalanche, according to reports
- His two climbing partners were reportedly rescued without major injuries
A Scottish climber has reportedly died in an avalanche on K2 – the world’s most dangerous mountain – as he attempted to take a new route to the summit.
Rick Allen, from Aberdeen, was attempting to climb the world’s second highest mountain to raise money for the Partners Relief And Development charity.
But according to reports from the base camp in Pakistan, the 68-year-old was caught in an avalanche on the mountain’s south-east face.
His two climbing partners, Jordi Tosas of Spain and Stephan Keck of Austria, were reportedly rescued without major injuries.
The death has not been officially confirmed but a Foreign Office spokeswoman said: ‘The British High Commission in Islamabad is aware of reports that a British citizen has died climbing K2 and stands ready to assist.’
Rick Allen, from Aberdeen, was attempting to climb the world’s second highest mountain to raise money for the Partners Relief And Development charity
On the fundraising page shared by the international aid charity, the description read: ‘Two of Britain’s most experienced mountaineers, Rick Allen and Jerry Gore, are attempting the ascent of K2, the second highest peak in the world and the most challenging.
‘Each is using the attempt to draw attention to the needs of a charity with which they are closely associated.
‘Rick is a trustee of Partners UK which is currently focused on meeting the acute health and educational needs of refugee children displaced from their homes in Myanmar by recent political upheavals.
‘Jerry lives with Type 1 diabetes and, through Action4Diabetes, facilitates the distribution of insulin to children with diabetes across SE Asia.
‘If the pair are successful, Jerry will be the first British and the first French mountaineer with type 1 diabetes to reach the summit of K2.’
The 68-year-old was caught in an avalanche on the mountain’s south-east face, according to reports from the base camp in Pakistan
Mr Allen had previously been presumed dead in 2018 after falling from an ice cliff during a solo climb to the summit of Pakistan’s Broad Peak before being rescued. Pictured: Mr Allen (centre left) following the 2018 rescue
The fundraising effort had received £170 of the £10,000 target at the time the death was reported.
Mr Allen had previously been presumed dead in 2018 after falling from an ice cliff during a solo climb to the summit of Pakistan’s Broad Peak that, at 8,047m, is the 12th highest mountain on Earth.
However, his rucksack was eventually spotted by a cook at the mountain’s base camp before a drone was used to locate him and to guide rescuers to his location.
K2 is considered to be the world’s most dangerous mountain as it has a fatality rate of around 25 per cent compared to just 6.5 per cent on Everest, according to reports.
For every 20 people who summit Everest, only one summits K2 and there are inherently more risks.
Routes on K2 are not as defined or well laid out with the climb being much more technical with a combination of rock, ice and alpine climbing – and avalanches are also much more common.
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