Broad Peak, Central Summits. A Polish expedition from Wroclaw consisted of 15 climbers under the leadership of Janusz Ferenski. Their Base Camp was established at 16,400 feet on the Godwin Austen Glacier on June 30. The route followed the Austrian route of 1957 with some variants, keeping more on the crest of the buttress. Camps I, II and III were at 19,000, 21,500 and 23,625 feet. On July 28 Roman Bebak, Kazimierz Glazek, Marek Kesicki, Janusz Kulis, Bogdan Nowaczyk and Andrzej Sirokski set off for the summit of the central peak (c. 26,300 feet) but in the afternoon Bebak withdrew while still below the col between the main and central peaks. Right above the col and near the top were two difficult rock steps. At 7:30 P.M. the five other climbers reached the summit of the central peak. After descending most of the fairly difficult ridge in the dark under worsening weather, they decided to rappel to a snow terrace on the west side, which led back to the col. Nowaczyk was lost when his rappel rope came adrift and plunged down the Chinese side. This was their only rope. During the unroped descent further on the icy slopes Kesicki, Sikorski and Kulis slipped at different times. Kulis managed to arrest himself, but the other two fell to their deaths.

Halina CiepliNska-Bojarska, Klub Wysokogórskiego, Poland