원정 개요

ABC same as other teams
C1 at North Col
C2 just off ridge
C3 at North Face.

All members reached at least 8300m. 8 May summit bid was expedition's first: Gorbach, Kopytko and Terzyul left C3 at 4:30 am and ascended very smoothly and on top at 3:00 pm (Kopytko and Terzyul); Gorbach was slow and topped at 4:00 pm. 1st, 2nd summiters radioed electricity in air and must go down. On summit was rubbish (boxes, etc - Babu Chhiri's?). 1st, 2nd waited at 8800m for Gorbach to come up, go to top and join them. Terzyul went down first to find old ropes under snow so they could be used, 100m below other two. Other 2 stopped on ridge at 8:00 pm, getting dark and snowing (were near First Step) and didn't find ropes and consciously passed tent they had left in ascent: Kopytko went up searching ropes and disappeared, perhaps went down with cornice over East Face. Terzyul reached last camp about 9 pm. 9 May other members went up and found Gorbach who had been searching for Kopytko. Kovalev and Leontyev searched but Kovalev faster and met Gorbach in a bad condition, frostbitten and unable to move at 3:00 pm. 3-4 members started to move Gorbach down at about 5:00 pm and reached last camp to sleep. 10th Georgian Sherpas helped in descent but came late and Gorbach carried all night to ABC which arrived 5:00 am on 10th. Georgian Sherpas helped to North Col, from Col to ABC helped by Americans and Italians and below Col Brice-organized brigade took over. Internet's reports correct except extent of frostbite. 12 May Gorbach moved to BC and left BC 13th and arrive KTM same day. Several members went up to search for Kopytko but no further attempt to climb mountain. Kopytko not found despite search of bottom of N Face as well as on face.


Brice - 9 June 99

There is a body that probably is Kopytko's lying 30m from the "exit crack" at 8500m where people have to stop; his legs - his head in underneath overhanging rock and he is lying in a position suggesting he went to sleep - wearing red jacket, grey trousers and oxygen mask. Expedition leader gave orders to climbers about their movements and they had to obey; he went according to a fixed program and disregarded member's information (sent to him in BC) about forecast of storm coming: he sent the summiters to the top on 8 May because that was the plan, but he had no resources to rescue his own men.