Corrado Korra Pesce critically injured on Cerro Torre, rescue operation suspended

Update on 01/02/2022 at 21:15
CROWDFUNDING. Friends have launched a crowdfunding campaign for Leia, Corrado Pesce's 13-year-old daugher. For anyone wishing to contribute, here's the link: www.leetchi.com/c/help-to-korras-pesce-daugther

Update on 31/01/2022 at 09:30
The El Chalten mountain rescue has announced that there is no longer any hope of finding Corrado 'Korra' Pesce alive. The Italian mountain guide was hit by rock and ice high up on Cerro Torre along with his Argentine climbing partner Tomás Aguiló. Matteo Della Bordella (who with David Bacci and Matteo De Zaicomo climbed another new route at the same time and who, together with his partners, shared the upper section of the route with Pesce and Aguiló) reports about the ascent, the accident, the rescue of Aguiló and the attempt to rescue Korra. Read the news report.

Published on 30/10/2022 at 09:31
Devastating news comes from El Chalten in Patagonia where 41-year-old mountaineer Corrado Pesce was seriously injured on Cerro Torre. Known to all simply as Korra and esteemed as one of the strongest alpinists of his generation, the Italian mountain guide was climbing with his Argentine colleague Tomás Aguiló.

According to reports published by the Argentine newspaper La Opinion Austral, the two had managed to complete a new route on the north face of Cerro Torre and were descending the east face. During the night their bivouac was hit by volley of rocks and ice; both suffered serious injuries, so much so that Aguilo was forced to leave Korra at the base of the huge corner on the east face, sheltered in the so-called "English box".

Aguilo managed to descend on his own accord and call for help. Over 30 mountaineers and volunteers from the "Comisión de Auxilio de El Chalten" mountain rescue were involved in the complex rescue operation, and yesterday Aguiló was airlifted to safety by an Argentine military helicopter.

As reported by the Argentine newspaper, due to the bad weather and the extent of his injuries, the rescue operation for Korra has been suspended. With each hour that passes, the hopes for finding Korra alive diminish considerably. The Italian-born, Chamonix-based guide is universally known as one of the best mountaineers of his generation and, we add, one of the most sincere and pure.

Updates about further developments of this tragic accident will be provided in due course.