Two Polish climbers missing in Kazakhstan
Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2010 7:34 pm
I am posting the info from the Polish climbing website drytooling.com and several Polish newspapers about two Polish climbers missing in Kazakhstan, on their way to Khan Tengri. One of them, Piotr Zwolinski, is actually my cousin.
Piotr Zwolinski (aged 45) and Michal Kacperski (30) landed in Almaty, Kazakhstan on 2 August, aiming at climbing Khan Tengri. They registered with the police and arrived at the tourist agency Tourasia where they left a part of their luggage to be flown by helicopter to the Karkara base. It was supposed to wait there until the Poles arrive at the Northern Inylchek base and be transported there (on 5 August, according to the climbers’ instructions). They rented a 4x4 car in Almaty and taking some gear (food, crampons, ropes, harnesses, four camping gas canisters) with them they set off for Zharkulak. On the way Piotr Zwolinski contacted his family by phone (from an unknown number). According to the Polish Consul in Kazakhstan, Leszek Wanat, they were seen for the last time at Zharkulak, where they were delivered by a tourist agency, another than the one that was transporting their luggage.
The climbers were supposed to walk up the Bayankol valley via Pass 11 to the Northern Inylchek base camp, the starting point for the Khan Tengri climb, and return on 29 August.
In the first half of August attempts were made to contact Michal and Piotr via tourist agencies (Tourasia and Kantengri, among others) but they were reluctant to make a phone call to the glacier, although the luggage with their names and the expected collection date had already been awaiting the climbers at Karkara for a week.
On 17 August the Inylchek base camp (or the Karkara camp, as this is not certain) notified Tourasia (the agency which rented a 4x4 to the Poles) about their absence. The next day the agency informed Michal’s wife and the Polish Consulate in Almaty. A land and air search was conducted by the Kantengri agency.
On 19 August the rescuers checked the area above the base camp and crevasses on the glacier.
On 21 August the first helicopter flight was conducted, it was called off after 43 minutes due to weather deterioration.
On 22 August another flight was carried out above places where the Poles could possibly lose their way.
In the meantime the land rescuers checked the area along the river to exclude the possibility of the climbers’ drowning and walked their probable route. No traces of their campsites, gear or litter were found. Other climbers met on the trail knew nothing about them either.
According to the rescuers, at the time of the Poles’ planned expedition the weather was good, there were no avalanches and little snow.
The Kazakh Immigration Police have also been searching the area of Zharkulak and Bayankol since 23 August.
Anyone who has seen Piotr Zwolinski and Michal Kacperski or might have any information about their whereabouts, is asked to contact the blog Lost in Kazakhstan or contact the Consulate in Almaty at (007727) 258 16 17 or write kacperscy2010@gmail.com
Piotr Zwolinski (aged 45) and Michal Kacperski (30) landed in Almaty, Kazakhstan on 2 August, aiming at climbing Khan Tengri. They registered with the police and arrived at the tourist agency Tourasia where they left a part of their luggage to be flown by helicopter to the Karkara base. It was supposed to wait there until the Poles arrive at the Northern Inylchek base and be transported there (on 5 August, according to the climbers’ instructions). They rented a 4x4 car in Almaty and taking some gear (food, crampons, ropes, harnesses, four camping gas canisters) with them they set off for Zharkulak. On the way Piotr Zwolinski contacted his family by phone (from an unknown number). According to the Polish Consul in Kazakhstan, Leszek Wanat, they were seen for the last time at Zharkulak, where they were delivered by a tourist agency, another than the one that was transporting their luggage.
The climbers were supposed to walk up the Bayankol valley via Pass 11 to the Northern Inylchek base camp, the starting point for the Khan Tengri climb, and return on 29 August.
In the first half of August attempts were made to contact Michal and Piotr via tourist agencies (Tourasia and Kantengri, among others) but they were reluctant to make a phone call to the glacier, although the luggage with their names and the expected collection date had already been awaiting the climbers at Karkara for a week.
On 17 August the Inylchek base camp (or the Karkara camp, as this is not certain) notified Tourasia (the agency which rented a 4x4 to the Poles) about their absence. The next day the agency informed Michal’s wife and the Polish Consulate in Almaty. A land and air search was conducted by the Kantengri agency.
On 19 August the rescuers checked the area above the base camp and crevasses on the glacier.
On 21 August the first helicopter flight was conducted, it was called off after 43 minutes due to weather deterioration.
On 22 August another flight was carried out above places where the Poles could possibly lose their way.
In the meantime the land rescuers checked the area along the river to exclude the possibility of the climbers’ drowning and walked their probable route. No traces of their campsites, gear or litter were found. Other climbers met on the trail knew nothing about them either.
According to the rescuers, at the time of the Poles’ planned expedition the weather was good, there were no avalanches and little snow.
The Kazakh Immigration Police have also been searching the area of Zharkulak and Bayankol since 23 August.
Anyone who has seen Piotr Zwolinski and Michal Kacperski or might have any information about their whereabouts, is asked to contact the blog Lost in Kazakhstan or contact the Consulate in Almaty at (007727) 258 16 17 or write kacperscy2010@gmail.com