On March 5, 2013, a Polish team consisting of Tomasz Kowalski, Adam Bielecki, Maciej Berbeka and Artur Malek made the first winter ascent of Broad Peak. Kowalski and Berbeka never returned. Kowalski’s body was found a year ago near the summit by Rafal Fronia. This led to Fronia’s special expedition to Broad Peak to bury Kowalski, which has now ended.
More than 10 years after the historic ascent of Broad Peak and his death while descending from the summit, Tomasz Kowalski was said goodbye and buried. The climber’s body rested in an ice grotto on Broad Peak. Fronia came up with the idea of moving Kowalski to another place, a mountain funeral and burial a year ago, when he found the mountaineer’s body. As Fronia wrote in an extensive post on his social profile: “because it was necessary”. In turn, the co-organizer of the expedition, the Polish Olympic Committee, added: “We don’t leave ours there!” Maciej Berbeka’s body has not been found.
Tomasz Kowalski was buried in a special sarcophagus in the ice cave on Broad Peak after a special expedition was organized for his burial under the supervision of Rafał Fronia. Its co-organizer was the Polish Olympic Committee. The expedition set off on June 17. On July 19, Kowalski was buried. The team has already returned home. Fronia himself wrote about the details and reasons for the expedition in an extensive post. You can read the entire post HERE.
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