Fatal Slip on the Summit: Five Koreans Returned Home
On Wednesday, Oct 17, the bodies of five South Korean mountaineers were shipped back to Seoul after a tragic incident on the Himalayas. Authorities say a sudden gust of wind was the culprit—a freaky reminder that even your ticket to the top can be taken by the weather.
Who Was Involved?
- Team of nine climbers, four of them from Nepal.
- Led by Kim Chang‑ho, the legend who in 2013 became the first to summit all 14 world‑wide 8,000‑plus peaks without bottled oxygen.
The group set out to blaze a new trail on the south face of Mount Gurja (a 7,193‑meter peak). Last Saturday, they disappeared near their base camp, just about 3,500 m up the mountain.
Why It Went Wrong
Lee In‑jung, chair of the Union of Asian Alpine Associations, told reporters it felt like a first‑ever Himalayan disaster triggered straight by a gust of wind.
“I’ve never seen something so abrupt hit a climber in the Himalayas.”
His chat‑up was emotional—“It might scare you from climbing these peaks,” he sobbed, adding that few belongings, even a documentary shoot‑on film, were still missing.
What Happens Next?
Each body will be moved to its chosen funeral site, guided by the families’ wishes. A joint ceremony will grace the halls of Kim’s alma mater, the University of Seoul, where bittersweet memories and prayers will mingle.
In the wake of this tragedy, the climbing community is left to ponder the fine line between ambition and the whims of nature. Above all, the mountains remain a testament to both human daring and the perils that accompany it.
