'I had no choice': Climber who left partner feared dead and saved herself from nightmare on 'Killer Mountain'
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A climber says she had ‘no choice’ but to abandon her ailing climbing partner to save herself from one of Pakistan’s most deadly Himalayan mountains.
French mountaineer Elisabeth Revol left Polish climber Tomasz Mackiewicz on Nanga Parbat, nicknamed “Killer Mountain,” as his health went rapidly downhill.
She was rescued by an elite Polish climbing team - but rescuers could not find Mr Mackiewicz and it is now feared he is dead.
During the ordeal she began having altitude-induced hallucinations during which she imagined that people were bringing her hot tea.
To show her 'gratitude' she gave them her shoe - leaving her barefoot.
(Image: AFP)
(Image: REUTERS)
The pair began climbing on January 20, and within a few days were approaching the summit.
But shortly after they reached the peak of the 26,640ft mountain, Mr Mackiewicz complained that he could not see.
Ms Revol told AFP he began struggling to breathe as he clung to her shoulders as they tried to move down the mountain towards rescuers.
(Image: AFP)
(Image: AFP)
(Image: AFP)
(Image: AFP)
They huddled together overnight, but she said he began to show the final signs of acute altitude sickness as blood began streaming from his mouth.
After sending several more messages for help she said she was told by rescuers to go down to 6,000m and left Mr Mackiewicz behind, adding: “It wasn’t a decision I made, it was imposed on me.”
Doctors in the Haute-Savoie region of eastern France are now assessing whether she will require amputations to her hands and left foot due to frostbite.