Mountaineer Piotr Tomala received France's Legion d'Honneur at a ceremony held at the French Embassy in Warsaw. Together with Adam Bielecki, Denis Urubko and Jarosław Botor, he was part of the dramatic rescue of Elisabeth Revol on the Himalayan peak of Nanga Parbat in January 2018, when her partner in the climb, Tomasz Mackiewicz, lost his life.
The highest French civillian award was presented by Ambassador to Poland Pierre Levy, who said at the ceremony that it was in appreciation of "the values which you personify; courage, transcending limitations, determination in realizing passions, solidarity, freedom".
In his speech of thanks, Piotr Tomala, who heads the Polish Winter Himalayan programme said that the order was also a symbolic recognition for all those who had been involved in the rescue operation, in France, Pakistan, Poland and Ireland, and without whom it would not have been possible.
In January 2018, the four members of a Polish winter attempt to climb K2, the world's second-highest peak, interrupted their expedition to answer Revol's call for help. With Tomasz Mackiewicz she had climbed Nanga Parbat, becoming the first woman to do so in winter, but during their descent, weather deteriorated.
Adam Bielecki, Denis Urubko and Jarosław Botor who have also been awarded with the Legion d'Honneur will receive the order later as all are currently on climbing expeditions.
After the rescue operation the Polish President awarded the mountaineers with the Order of Polonia Restituta. The American Alpine Club also presented them with its highest award for valour, the David A. Sowles Memorial Award.
Source: PAP/IAR