Polish aviators brave ‘Savage mountain’: First to glide over Pakistan’s K2

Islamabad, July 24 (EFE).– Braving harsh weather and fierce winds, two intrepid Polish aviators have made history as the first glider pilots to audaciously soar over the summit of Pakistan’s K2.

Known as “Savage Mountain” for its deadly reputation, K2 is the world’s second-tallest peak, which poses a formidable challenge even to the most seasoned adventurers.

For Sebastian Kawa and Sebastian Lampart it was indeed a proverbial Herculean task to glide over the most feared peak but nevertheless “worth it.”

Karar Haidri, Secretary of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, confirmed that the two Polish pilots made history on July 20, braving high-speed winds and strict flight restrictions in Pakistan.

“Sebastian Kawa and Sebastian Lampart are the first ones ever to fly over the summit of K2 in a glider,” Haidri told EFE on Wednesday. “It was not easy but worth it.”

Following a test flight on Friday in which the pilots reached 4,600 meters, Kawa shared the moment on Facebook, saying 4,600 wouldn’t be enough to move around freely in the mountains.

“You can fly along the valley, but there are no thermals there, and it’s best to overcome the 5000m barrier to get to the beautiful cumulus above most peaks.”

Kawa and Lampart were on board a two-seater Schleicher ASH 25 glider, equipped with oxygen and a small emergency engine. A vehicle pulled the glider aircraft with a rope until they were airborne.

“They took off from the Skardu airport and then flew over K2 in the Karakoram range,” Haidri said.

The pilots faced numerous obstacles – not just high-altitude winds but also bureaucratic procedures to get the permission to fly over the strategic Karakoram range – that converges the borders of Tajikistan, China, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and India.

“The weather at K2 was windy, and they also had to face difficulties in getting the necessary permits, since flights of all kinds are heavily restricted in some areas in the Karakoram range,” Haidri said.

The Polish aviators had to transport their glider aircraft in a trailer all the way from Poland to Pakistan. They obtained a flying license from local authorities in the region to fly over the Karakoram range. EFE

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