Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Controversy about the death on Broad Peak

The new controversial article about death of Polish climbers Maciek Berbeka and Tomasz Kowalski occured yesterday at Polish website.
Leszek Szymanowski - a freelance journalist in the portal Nowy Ekran Ultima Thule presented his own vision about the tragedy on Broad Peak, quite different from the others' opinions.

He pointed 10 reasons why this tragedy took place:
1. The highest - 4th camp was too low.
2. The summit attack should be stopped after summiting by the first person of the team - Adam Bielecki cause it was too late.
3. Adam Bielecki is accused of leaving Tomek Kowalski on the mountain, meanwhile everyone, included Maciek, descented alone (on the basis of registered calls).
4. Adam didn't wait for Tomek and Maciek because he summited about 1 hour before them. Waiting for such a long time in the death zone after being there over 12 hours could cause the bigger tragedy. Adam was exhausted and wanted to descent from the ridge in the daylight and reach the camp as quickly as possible to prepare tea and food for his teammates
5. A weather window was predicted for the maximum 2 days, that's why all decided to summit in the whole team of 4 and not in 2 teams of 2 that has been planned before. They should have given the summit attack after that the first of the team reached the top. Staying on the top in the evening raised the risk to the maximum.
6. They had only one spot localizer for the whole team that was lost by Tomek before the summit attack. It could help in finding Tomek and Maciek by 2 Sherpas who took the rescue action.
7. These 2 Sherpas should have waited in the 4th camp in case of emergencies to take the rescue action faster.
8. Some famous Polish himalaists accuse Adam of being responsible for the tragedy. In author's opinion in such high mountains, in such conditions everyone is responsible for himself and the leader of expedition should have made the team to return.
9. The present Polish expedition on the Broad Peak is going to find not only dead himalaists but also some hard evidence what happend in March on this mountain (on the basis of record on Tom's GoPro).
10. Both Maciek and Tomek had strong and private motivations to reach the summit. Maciek wanted to improve he was able to do so after 25 years and for Tomek it was the first summit above 8 000 m. He intended to propose to her girlfriend on the top. 

And what's your thinking on it....? 

The Polish link to this article: http://ultimathule.nowyekran.net/post/93737,broad-peak-wyjasnienie-tragedii-berbeka-mogl-uratowac-macka-i-tomka

Martyna

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