Sickle Moon Tragedy. A nine-member team of the Japanese Self Defense Force was led by Lieutenant Colonel Fumio Yunoki and included two women. They reached Kishtwar on July 7, trekked through Kiyar, the last village, and set up Base Camp at the snout of the Sarbal Glacier at 12,000 feet on July 20. Camp III was established on this 21,570-foot unclimbed peak at 17,000 feet on August 2 and it took 12 days to set up Camp IV at 19,000 feet. Summit attempts which reached the northwest ridge were made on August 15 and 16 by two different groups of three each but were turned back by weather, one group only 150 feet from the top. At two A.M. on August 17 the tent of Lieutenant Satoru Takashi and Sherpa Ang Chhutar at Camp IV was hit by a falling rock. Chhutar was killed instantly and Takashi died an hour and a half later.

Kamal K. Guha, Himalayan Club