ISLAMABAD / Pakistan : 03 July 2025 – Renowned Czech mountaineer Klára Kolouchová, aged 46, tragically lost her life while attempting to summit Nanga Parbat, Pakistan’s ninth-highest peak,one of the world’s most dangerous peaks, renowned as “the killer mountain”, after reportedly falling from a high altitude following an oxygen gas cylinder explosion.
Kolouchová, a trailblazing figure in mountaineering, was attempting to summit Nanga Parbat — the 8,125-meter “Killer Mountain” — as part of her goal to climb all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks. She had already earned international acclaim as the first Czech woman to summit both Mount Everest and K2.
Kolouchová arrived in Pakistan on June 15 with a seven-member expedition team and reached base camp two days later.
According to Diamer’s Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Nizamuddin, “The mountaineer fell from a height between Camp I and Camp II. Initially, it was reported that the accident was caused by an oxygen cylinder explosion. Her teammates later confirmed her death after reaching the base camp, though the body remains at the fall site.” The incident occurred around 4:00 am near Bunar Base Camp in the Diamer district of Gilgit-Baltistan.
Following the alert from fellow climbers, local authorities dispatched a police team and high-altitude porters to the area. “The exact location of her body will be first traced where she fell,” ADC Nizamuddin stated. “Once confirmed, appropriate rescue operations will be initiated to retrieve the body by using heli service.”
Karar Haidri, Secretary of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, also confirmed the tragic news, noting that Kolouchová was part of a climbing expedition that had reached Bunar Base Camp on 17 June. She was accompanied by her husband and five team members. Kolouchová was globally acclaimed as the first Czech woman to summit both Mount Everest and K2. She arrived in Pakistan on 15 June and proceeded toward the base camp the following day.
English.Radio.CZ published a comprehensive report on Klára Kolouchová
Klára Kolouchová, a pioneer of Czech high-altitude mountaineering, has died while attempting to climb Nanga Parbat in Pakistan. The 46-year-old became the first Czech woman to reach the summits of Mount Everest, K2, and Kangchenjunga, among other Himalayan giants. Her tragic fall between camps on the so-called “Killer Mountain” ends a climbing career marked by determination, resilience, and groundbreaking achievements.
A life on the Edge
Klára Kolouchová, one of the Czech Republic’s most accomplished mountaineers, died on July 3 while attempting to climb Nanga Parbat, the ninth-highest mountain in the world. Early reports cited an oxygen tank explosion, but that theory was later dismissed by mountaineer Jan Trávníček, who pointed to a fatal fall as the likely cause of death. Kolouchová fell from a height between Camp I and Camp II, according to Pakistani authorities.
Born Klára Poláčková in Prague on September 6, 1978, she studied business management at Anglo-American College before pursuing a career in communications and consulting, including stints at Euro RSCG and McKinsey & Company. But it was the mountains that ultimately defined her life.
Her passion for mountaineering led her to conquer some of the most formidable peaks on Earth. In 2005, she climbed Aconcagua, the highest mountain in South America, followed by Cho Oyu in the Himalayas a year later.
Breaking Barriers for Czech Women
In 2007, Kolouchová became the first Czech woman to summit Mount Everest, climbing from the north (Tibetan) side using supplemental oxygen. Although Renata Chlumská, a Swedish climber of Czech origin, had previously reached the summit in 1999, Kolouchová was widely recognized as the first Czech woman to accomplish the feat while living in the country and climbing under the Czech flag.
Her crowning achievement came in July 2019 when she summited K2, the second-highest mountain in the world and widely considered the most dangerous. She was the first Czech woman—and only the twentieth woman globally—to do so. Later that same year, she also climbed Kangchenjunga, the world’s third-highest peak. In 2024, she added Annapurna to her list of eight-thousanders, bringing her total to five.
“Ty nejhezčí věci v životě si musíme vybojovat sami,” she once said—“The most beautiful things in life must be fought for.” That spirit of perseverance defined her climbs and her public persona.
More than a Mountaineer
Kolouchová wasn’t just a climber—she was also an author and communicator. She published Himálajský deník, documenting her Everest expedition, and in 2022 released a second book titled Nahoře fouká (“It Blows at the Top”). A documentary film, K2 vlastní cestou (K2: My Own Way), directed by Jana Počtová, captured her successful 2019 expedition to K2 and was met with critical acclaim.
She used her platform to inspire others, particularly women, to push past limitations and find strength in adversity. In media interviews and public appearances, she often spoke candidly about balancing extreme mountaineering with motherhood—she was married and had two children, Emma and Cyril.
Tragey on the Killer Mountain
Kolouchová joined an expedition to Nanga Parbat in June 2025. Known as the “Killer Mountain,” it has claimed dozens of lives over the decades due to its treacherous slopes and harsh conditions. The fatal accident occurred near the Bunar Base Camp in Pakistan’s Diamer district.
Initial rumors of an exploding oxygen tank were quickly questioned by experts. “Between Camps C1 and C2, climbers don’t use oxygen,” said Jan Trávníček, a fellow Czech mountaineer with experience on K2. “The early report didn’t make sense.” The true cause remains uncertain, but it is now believed that Kolouchová slipped and fell to her death.
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A Lasting Legacy
Kolouchová’s death adds her name to a tragic list of Czech climbers who have perished in the Himalayas. But her legacy endures—in the mountains she climbed, the records she broke, and the people she inspired.
She once said, “Mountains don’t care who you are. You have to prove yourself every single time.” Klára Kolouchová did exactly that. Again and again.
Klára Kolouchová – Highlights
2005 – summited Aconcagua (6,961 m), South America’s highest peak
2006 – summited Cho Oyu (8,201 m), first 8000er
2007 – first Czech woman to summit Mount Everest (8,849 m)
2013 – climbed Denali (Alaska) and Elbrus (Russia)
2019 – first Czech woman to summit Kangchenjunga and K2
2024 – climbed Annapurna (8,0f91 m), her fifth 8000er
2025 – died during an expedition on Nanga Parbat (8,126 m)
