Turkish-American climber Gulnur Tumbat described a harrowing descent from K2's summit, narrowly escaping death amidst deadly rockfalls. She witnessed the death of a Chinese climber, Jing Guan, struck by falling rock, and recounts numerous near misses and injuries to herself and others. The descent involved a night rappel to avoid rockfall, but conditions remained perilous. Rescue efforts are underway for a rescuer also injured by a rock, while some climbers remain stranded on the mountain, prompting debate about acceptable risk levels in guided climbs.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.