Report: Swedish climber Fredrik Ericsson plunges to death on K-2

Report: Swedish alpinist dies on K-2

STOCKHOLM — The Austrian News Agency says Swedish climber and skier Fredrik Ericsson has fallen to his death on K-2 while trying to conquer the world’s second highest peak.

The agency cites members of his expedition as saying the accident occurred Friday during a sudden warm spell that increased the danger of the climb.

Fellow climber Christian Stangl told APA that fog also interfered with the climb.

At 8,611 meters (28,250 feet), the peak in the Chinese-Pakistani border region is the second highest after Mount Everest, at 8,848 meters (29,030 feet).

Sweden’s Foreign Ministry was informed about the accident by Ericsson’s family, but was waiting for local authorities to confirm his death, ministry spokesman Anders Jorle said.

Swedish news agency TT said Ericsson was 35.

A posting by a colleague on Ericsson’s official website on Aug. 4 said the warm conditions had prompted a lot of movement on the mountain and that “avalanches and rock fall could be heard all day.”

The site described Ericsson as an avid climber and skier who traveled to mountain peaks worldwide to do photo shoots for ski magazines, websites and sponsors.

He had made several trips to the Himalayas and was working on a project to ski the world’s three highest peaks, Mount Everest, K2 and Kangchenjunga.

Online: Ericsson’s website www.fredrikericsson.com