Chinese mountaineer Guan Jing has died while descending K2, the world’s second-highest peak.

 

According to Shigar district Deputy Commissioner Arif Ahmad, Guan was struck by falling rocks on Tuesday night while making her way down from the summit.

 

"An army aviation team is ready for the recovery of the body and is waiting for better weather conditions," he said, as cited by a foreign media outlet.

 

According to the Alpine Club of Pakistan, which monitors local climbing expeditions, Guan is the fourth casualty of the country’s summer climbing season.

 

She was among 30 climbers who reached the summit of K2 on Monday before beginning her fatal descent.

 

"The incident occurred on the Abruzzi Spur route between Camp I and Advanced Base Camp, a section notorious for frequent rockfalls," the Alpine Club stated.

 

At 8,611 metres (28,251 feet), K2 is located on the Pakistan-China border, and is 238 metres shorter than Mount Everest but is considered far more technically challenging.