"The expedition has been cancelled," wrote Aarhus-based mountaineer Emma Ostergaard on her Instagram profile on Friday morning.
This week, she has been attempting to climb K2, the 8,611-meter-high mountain located in Pakistan. However, her social media posts now reveal that she is on her way back down the mountain.
In the post, she writes: "Things took a turn: The expedition is cancelled; everyone is coming down from K2 now. I’ll explain once I’m down, but I’m doing okay."
Several international media outlets, including the BBC, are reporting that an avalanche hit the neighboring mountain, Broad Peak, which lies on the opposite side of the valley.
Nepalese mountaineer Nirmal Purja and his team of nine other climbers have been missing since Thursday after an avalanche swept down the mountain.
Four bodies have now been recovered by rescue teams. Emma Ostergaard has subsequently posted further updates on social media, confirming that the incident on the neighboring mountain is what brought her expedition to an end.
She also writes that she knows several of the climbers reported missing:
"Back at BC (base camp, ed.), moved quickly. Doing "okay," but incredibly shaken and saddened: Tragic days with 10 fatalities on the neighboring mountain, Broad Peak; one of them was a friend of mine, and three were from our team."
It should be noted that there are currently only four confirmed deaths associated with the avalanche. Emma Ostergaard also writes that she will provide updates on her Instagram profile on Saturday or in the coming days.
