Chinese Climber Guan Jing Killed on K2; Recovery Hampered by Bad Weather

Chinese mountaineer Guan Jing died on Tuesday after being struck by falling rocks while descending K2, a day after summiting the world’s second-highest peak, Pakistani officials said. Her body is located between Camp I and the advanced base camp, roughly 17,700 feet above sea level on the Abruzzi Spur route, an area notorious for rockfall. Poor weather has grounded army helicopters, prompting a team of Pakistani and international climbers to set out on foot Thursday to recover the body. A Nepali Sherpa, Jangbu, who attempted a retrieval on Wednesday, was injured and airlifted to Skardu Hospital. Guan was among about 30 climbers who reached K2’s 28,251-foot summit on Monday. According to the Alpine Club of Pakistan, her death is the fourth recorded during the country’s 2025 summer climbing season and the second on K2.