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CHICAGO, UNITED STATES (Team Geared Up) - Irish Climber Gerard McDonnell is missing on K2. K2 is regarded as one of the most all-round difficult mountains in the world with only around 189 climbers having reached the summit, 49 climbers have died on K2, 22 while descending it. The 37-year-old from Kilcornan, Co Limerick had become the first Irish person to reach the summit yesterday before going missing after an ice fall on the descent.
Eoin reported in June that Irish climber Gerard McDonnell was going back to K2 this year as part of a Dutch expedition climbers to climb the formidable mountain. The group of 6, including Gerard, has now been cut off above 8,000 metres on the mountain which is on the China - Pakistan border.
On descent, a big chunk of ice fell from the serac below the summit, taking a large part of the fixed lines with it. About 12 people, including Wilco, Gerard, Marco and Korean climbers got stuck either above the traverse or above the Bottleneck.
[..]All involved, such as Roeland in BC and the Dutch K2 Norit expedition webmaster Maarten van Eck have been awake for at least 48 hours non-stop by now.
The latest news of each team member and the search efforts can be read here.
They state:
IMPORTANT MESSAGE FOR FRIENDS AND RELATIVES FROM GERARD. We still do not know were Gerard is.
Latest positions:
- ROELAND in K2BC
- CAS and PEMBA (rescueteam, now from Camp 4 to Camp 3)
- WILCO Still searching for him.
- MARCO Found and brought to Camp 4. He is in C4 with oxygen and medicines. He goes down with the High Altitude Porters tomorrow.
- MARK safe in Camp 2.
- JELLE is safe in Base Camp.
- GERARD unknown.
- HUGUES unknown.
and then…
K2 BaseCamp (Roeland) can see a person in Orange suit between C4 and C3 at the Cessen route. That person is slowly moving down. Cas and Pemba will descend from C4 towards C3 and try to locate the lonely climber. More news to follow as soon as we hear something.
Location of Gerard and Hugues is unknown. K2 BC can see 5 people climbing down the Bottleneck and 2 above.
Let’s hope those 2 are Gerard & Hugues.
Very sad end to an exciting day of summit yesterday. Let’s hope this works out well.
Update: Pat Falvey has been interviewed by RTE, Gerard was a team leader in Pat Falvey’s Beyond Endurance expedition. Pat is hopeful that it will turn out well.
Latest Comments (9):
All,
please see a prayer for Ger and everyone else up on the mountain. God bless everyone up there.
Cheers,
Peter O’Donoghue (Ger’s cousin)
We are all thinking and praying for Ger and the other climbers safe return. Lavery’s Shanagolden Limerick
Thoughts & prayers are with Ger.
Gerard is resourceful, brave, strong as a horse, and determined. He will turn up alright, I can sense it. I don’t usually pray, but I’ve just done so on his behalf.
Dan Possumato, Portland, Oregon, USA
(friend of Ger’s)
Please everyone say a prayer for ger’s safe return and for his family at this time.May the mountain give him back to his loved one’s
Elaine lyons
family friend
limerick
“Wilco Van Rooijen has incredibly survived 3 nights exposure on the high slopes of K2.”
From k2.net
we know u can pull thru ger. Hope to c u soon
I was with the norit team for the first 3 week of the expedition, til K2BC. It’s hard to believe this tragic story. Although I spend only 3 weeks with the team, I could tell that Gerard is indeed ‘resourceful, brave, strong as a horse, and determined’ as Dan posts. Lets indeed pray for a safe return.
Guy Mertz, Amsterdan, The Netherlands
My girlfriend and me briefly met Ger about two years ago in Argentina. He was a sound down to earth gentleman with a great enthusiasm for life. We were enthralled by his stories of Everest and his first attempt on K2. I was deeply saddened when I heard the news of the accident on K2. My thoughts and prayers are with Ger’s family and his long-term partner.
Tom, Dublin.
Derval, Mayo.
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