Kristin Harila, the Norwegian climber leading a record-breaking team sponsored by Osprey, was present on the mountain that day, striving to conquer the world’s 14 highest peaks in the shortest time possible. It’s important to note that Hassan was not a member of her group and was there supporting other climbers.
However, when the footage released by other climbers went viral, it sparked outrage among many who believed that Harila should have abandoned her ascent upon encountering an injured Hassan near the summit of the second-highest peak in the world, standing at 8,611 meters (28,251 feet). Despite this controversy, Harila successfully reached the summit hours later and proudly proclaimed, “We have reached summit number 14” in a video.
This incident has ignited a heated debate surrounding the behavior of foreign mountaineers and adventure tourists attempting Himalayan peaks, as well as their treatment of local guides and porters.
Wilhelm Steindl, one of the climbers who shared the shocking drone footage, expressed his outrage in an interview with an Austrian newspaper, stating, “Hassan was treated like a second-class human being. What transpired is a disgraceful act of prioritizing record-setting over the life of an individual.”
Harila defended herself, claiming that she and her team made every effort to save Hassan after he fell from a perilous section of the mountain called “the Bottleneck.” She recounted how they used a rope to pull him back up, which took over an hour. However, upon spotting a massive avalanche, Harila continued with her team to check on their well-being, leaving her cameraman, Gabriel Tarso, behind to assist Hassan, who was exposed to extreme weather conditions without adequate gear or oxygen.
Despite the tragic outcome for Hassan, Harila successfully reached the summit and became the fastest climber to conquer the world’s tallest 14 peaks, accomplishing this feat in just three months and one day. It should be noted that the previous record was held by Nirmal Purja, who completed the same challenge in over six months in 2019.
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