Kyrgyz Mountaineer Conquers K2, Honors National Independence

Eduard Kubatov, President of the Kyrgyz Mountaineering Federation, successfully reached the summit of K2, the world’s second-highest mountain in Pakistan, dedicating his climb to the Independence of Kyrgyzstan.

On Instagram, Kubatov shared that he reached the peak on August 11 at 5:00 p.m. in extremely harsh weather conditions, without oxygen cylinders, The Caspian Post informs via Kazakh media.

“On August 13, I safely descended to the base camp. Unfortunately, some of the members of our expedition got injuries and one female climber died on the way back,” he added.

The deceased climber was Chinese mountaineer Guan Jing, who suffered a fatal injury from falling rocks during the descent. Rescue teams have initiated an operation to recover her body.

“I dedicate my win to our Independence and I am proud of being a part of our magnificent nation! Now we are heading to the town of Skardu. Alive and slightly unwell, I am returning home,” Kubatov wrote on Instagram.

K2, also called Chogori or Qogir, rises to 8,611 meters (28,251 feet) in the Karakoram range, on the border between Pakistan and China.

Earlier, it was reported that Asel Baibagysheva became the first Kyrgyz woman to summit Mount Everest, the world’s tallest peak.