GILGIT: Polish climber Waldemar Kowalewski, who was injured at Broad Peak (8051m) on July 11, was finally airlifted to Skardu hospital from the base on Friday after seven days.
Waldemar Kowalewski suffered a broken leg on July 11 between Camp 2 and Camp 3, at an altitude of approximately 6,500 metres, and remained stranded for over 48 hours due to inclement weather and logistical challenges.
According to Polish climber Łukasz Supergan, who witnessed the event from base camp, Kowalewski was descending from Camp 3 along with his team after spending three nights acclimatizing when the weather suddenly deteriorated. Unstable snow conditions triggered an avalanche, resulting in his injury.
Efforts to initiate a rescue operation were hampered as no climbers at Broad Peak’s base camp were willing to attempt a ground rescue.
While the Askari Aviation reportedly declined to conduct an airlift from that altitude, citing no landing space.
Kowalewski and his climbing partner Jarek Lukaszewski waited in a tent since the accident until the Sherpas reached them.
Therefore, Lela Peak Expeditions, which had organized the climb, hired Nepalese Sherpas – Min Temba, Dawa Sange, Pasang Tengui – who successfully evacuated the injured climber to base camp on July 13.
However, adverse weather conditions continued to delay the air rescue for several days. It was on Friday, once the weather cleared, that an Askari Aviation helicopter was able to airlift Kowalewski from the base camp to Skardu.
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A Rescue 1122 team received the injured climber upon his arrival at the Civil Aviation helipad in Skardu and transported him to Kuwait Medical Complex, where he received medical care.