Jannu: dramatic events in details from doctor M.Bakin

20.05
There was bad weather all the day long. It is raining in the base camp, and is snowing on the wall. A party Ruchkin-Mikhailov could climbed 30 meters above 7500 for 10 hours.

19.05
Hi, friends!
Today Mikhailov's group ascended the latest highest camp: the portaledge hanging at 7400m. If weather permit, tomorrow the guys plan to continue fixing the wall above 7500. But the weather may not allow. In the base camp it was raining all the day long, but on the wall it was snowing. All the others are staying in the base camp for a while. The health state is in reasonable limits.

18.05
Hello, friends! Briefly I am going to state the events of the last days and our prospects as they are seen now. At once all of us did not inform you on ethical reasons, i.e. before returning Bolotov's group in the base camp.
Under the plan, on 14 of May in the morning Pershin and Totmyanin had to haul a portaledge from 7200m up to 7400m and descend passing forward Bolotov's group that was ascending from the camp at 7000m. But since the morning Michael Pershin badly felt himself (he has got a haemorrhage of eye's retina) and had to descend. Totmyanin hauled the portaledge on 200 meters alone and descended to the camp at 5600m. Bolotov, Borisov and Kirievsky climbed at 7400, settled a camp and stayed there to spend the night.
Next day, descending to the base camp Totmyanin was injured by a falling stone. His face and leg hurt, but after having had a rest and some treatment he feels better and saved capacity for work.

On 15 of May two-man team Bolotov - Borisov worked on the wall. They made a very complex pitch. 16.05, the group was approaching to the top point of fixed ropes and a stone dropped right on Sergey Borisov's head. "Cassidy" was lost, but it rescued the head. Borisov got off with a scratch of skin. Obviously he was not able to work further and descended into the portaledge where Evgeny Kirievsky rendered him first aid and bandaged the wounded head. As Sergey felt not bad he decided to descend further alone.
Bolotov and Kirievsky continued work on the wall. But approximately two hours later Alexey climbing the most complicated cornice fell and got his rib broken.

Thus the situation on 16th of May looked as follows: Wounded Alexey Bolotov and escaped Gena Kirievsky were in the portaledge at 7400m, in the camp at 7000m - Sergey Borisov with wounded head and in the lowermost camp at 5600m the group of Mike Mikhailov, Alexander Ruchkin, Dmitry Pavlenko stayed having ascending to it after they had a rest. I will not describe all subsequent details.

On 17 of May Borisov descended into the base camp. And now he is all right. Today, i.e. on 18 of May Bolotov and Kirievsky returned to the base camp. Now everything turned out safely, but unfortunately Alexey have to end the ascent. Because of these drama events we lost 4 working days. For the present time we reached 7500m.

The group led by Mikhailov is in the camp at 7000m under the wall now and tomorrow they will get the portaledge at 7400m and begin to work on the wall the day after tomorrow, i.e. 20.05. Weather is unstable.

M.Bakin.

Translation by www.mountain.ru

19.05.2004