Tomasz Mackiewicz

{{Infobox person

| name = Tomasz Mackiewicz

| image =

| alt =

| caption = Tomasz Mackiewicz

| birth_date = {{birth date|1975|1|13|df=y}}

| birth_place = Działoszyn, Poland

| disappeared_date = 26 January 2018 (aged 43)

| disappeared_place = Nanga Parbat, Pakistan

| nationality = Polish

| other_names = Czapkins, Czapa

| known_for =

| occupation = Mountaineer

}}

Tomasz Mackiewicz (13 January 1975 – c. 26 January 2018{{Cite web |url=http://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/2131833/polands-tomasz-mackiewicz-free-spirit-love-pakistans-killer |title=Friends remember Polish climber left to die on Pakistan's 'killer mountain' |website=South China Morning Post |date=2018-02-03 |access-date=2018-02-03}}) was a Polish high-altitude climber. He died on Nanga Parbat, an eight-thousander and the westernmost major peak in the Himalayas. Nanga Parbat has been referred to as the "Killer Mountain" in Pakistan and is the ninth-highest mountain on Earth.{{cite web|url=http://www.dreamwanderlust.com/news/the-killer-mountain-kills-again|title=THE KILLER MOUNTAIN MAY KILL AGAIN|date=31 January 2018|work=dreamwanderlust.com}}

Early life and expeditions

Born in Działoszyn, Poland. At the age of 12, together with his parents, he moved from Działoszyn to Częstochowa, where he later attended high school. While living in Częstochowa, he was addicted to heroin for several years.{{Cite web|title=Tomek "Czapkins" Mackiewicz: A Life Unconquered|url=https://explorersweb.com/2018/01/31/tomek-czapkins-mackiewicz-a-life-unconquered-2018-01-30-67658/|access-date=2020-12-28|website=Explorersweb|date=30 January 2018 }}

In 2008, Mackiewicz was awarded a "feat of the year" award along with Mark Klonowski for an extensive traverse of Mount Logan.{{cite web|title=Meeting with Tomak|url=https://wspinanie.pl/wydarzenie/spotkanie-z-tomkiem-mackiewiczem-w-krakowie/|accessdate=29 January 2018}}{{cite web|title=NAGRODY ZA DOKONANIA ROKU|url=http://kolosy.org/relacja_kolosy2008.php|publisher=Kolosy.org|accessdate=29 January 2018}} In 2009 he summitted Khan Tengri {{convert|7010|m|ft|abbr=on}} as a solo climber. He tried several times to summit Nanga Parbat in winter. While climbing with Klonowski in 2015, he reached a height of {{convert|7400|m|ft|abbr=on}} and in 2016, along with the French climber Élisabeth Revol, he reached an altitude of {{convert|7200|m|ft|abbr=on}} on Nanga Parbat.

He was the first climber in the world who climbed an eight-thousander in the alpine style in winter, for which he was nominated for the Piolet d'Or award.[https://wspinanie.pl/2019/07/zlote-czekany-jury-szeroka-lista/ Złote Czekany: szeroka lista i Jury nagrody. Na liście są dwa polskie przejścia]

Disappearance

On 25 January 2018, while attempting his seventh try at a winter ascent of Nanga Parbat, known as the "Killer Mountain", in Pakistan,{{cite news|title=Stranded French climber flown from Pakistan's 'Killer Mountain'|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-42849057|accessdate=29 January 2018|publisher=BBC}} at {{convert|8126|m|ft|abbr=on}}, Mackiewicz had reached the summit{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}} from the Diamer side along with French climber Élisabeth Revol. At the summit, Revol noticed Mackiewicz's bad condition and started taking him down. According to Revol, he could not walk, see or even communicate and was bleeding profusely from his mouth and nose. She secured him from the wind in a crevasse, called for help and started her trip down the mountain. Mackiewicz had developed severe frostbite and snow blindness. It is also believed that he was in the later stages of high-altitude pulmonary edema and high-altitude cerebral edema. Revol had mild frostbite on five toes.

Another Polish team that was attempting a nearby summit of K2 was called for rescue. On 27 January 2018 the rescue team, including Denis Urubko and Adam Bielecki, were dropped off by a helicopter at {{convert|4900|m|ft|abbr=on}} on the mountain. The team rescued Revol at {{convert|6026|m|ft|abbr=on}} and brought her to safety. Mackiewicz, who was believed to be in his tent at around {{convert|7400|m|ft|abbr=on}}, could not be rescued due to bad weather and a snowstorm.{{cite web|title=Killer Mountain' Strands Climber as Another Is Rescued|date=2018-01-27|url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/features/nanga-parbat-k2-summit-mission-rescue-killer-mountain-spd/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180129195157/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/features/nanga-parbat-k2-summit-mission-rescue-killer-mountain-spd/|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 29, 2018|publisher=National Geographic|accessdate=29 January 2018}}{{cite news|title=Polish rescue team finds French climber on Pakistan's "Killer Mountain"|date=2018-01-28|url=https://in.reuters.com/article/pakistan-climbers/polish-rescue-team-finds-french-climber-on-pakistans-killer-mountain-idINKBN1FH01Q|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180128063633/https://in.reuters.com/article/pakistan-climbers/polish-rescue-team-finds-french-climber-on-pakistans-killer-mountain-idINKBN1FH01Q|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 28, 2018|work=Reuters|accessdate=29 January 2018}}

File:Memorial polskich himalaistow w nepalu ktorzy zgineli w himalajach i karakorum ipWRUX.jpg

Ludovic Giambiasi, Revol's partner, wrote on a Facebook post: {{blockquote|The rescue for Tomasz is unfortunately not possible – because of the weather and altitude it would put the life of rescuers in extreme danger, It's a terrible and painful decision. ... All our thoughts go out to Tomek's family and friends. We are crying.}} Revol was later carried to Islamabad for treatment. Mackiewicz most likely died within 24 hours, but the cause is unknown and his body has not been found.{{cite news|title=Climbers rescue French woman stranded on Pakistan's 'Killer Mountain|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/28/nanga-parbat-climbers-rescue-french-woman|newspaper=The Guardian|date=28 January 2018|accessdate=29 January 2018|last1=Tapper|first1=James}}{{cite news|title=Rescuers call off efforts to save Polish climber missing on 'killer mountain' Nanga Parbat|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1385815|accessdate=29 January 2018|publisher=Dawn.com}}

In March 2018, his father, Witold, received a death certificate from Pakistan, in which the date of his death was given as 30 January 2018.