Chinese climber dies after summiting world’s second-highest peak, K2

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GILGIT, Pakistan (AP) — A Chinese mountaineer has died after being hit by falling rocks while descending from the world’s second-highest peak in northern Pakistan, officials said Wednesday.

Guan Jing was struck on Tuesday while coming down from K2, a day after reaching the summit with a group of climbers, said Faizullah Faraq, a spokesman for the regional government of Gilgit-Baltistan. Faraq said efforts were underway to retrieve her body.

The Pakistan Alpine Club confirmed her death and said she had successfully reached the summit on Monday.

K2, which rises 8,611 meters (28,251 feet) above sea level in the Karakoram range, is regarded as one of the most dangerous mountains to climb because of its steep slopes, unpredictable weather and frequent rockfalls.

Pakistan is home to several top mountain peaks, and climbers flock from all over the world to attempt to scale them.

The latest death comes two weeks after German mountaineer and Olympic gold medalist Laura Dahlmeier died while attempting another peak in the region.