Being the first climbers above C2, the team had to continuously break trail through rough conditions. At 06:50 the team was only one hundred vertical meters below the summit. The spirit and motivation was high, as the team was very well working together and moving at the same speed. They were sure reaching the summit at 08:00.
At 06:55 (Nepalese time) Sebastian and Andrea were caught in an avalanche at 7.900m, just 100m below the summit and were dragged for 600m vertical, over steep glaciers, into another section of the mountain.
Benedikt and Ueli immediately called basecamp for help and assistance, while descending to C3, the same route they were coming up, in order to traverse to the avalanche zone and search for the other three climbers. For over four hours they were trying to approach the avalanche zone from various sides, but turned around due to the fact that there was no access to the avalanche zone. Sebastian and Andrea disappeared with the avalanche and their bodies could not be found.
Our deep sympathy is with the families and friends of Sebastian and Andrea.
Dynafit Aschheim Germany
