14 May Achille Compagnoni dies at age 94

 
 
 

 
 

Achille Compagnoni died on may 13th in a hospital of Aosta, in Northern Italy. Born in Santa Caterina Valfurna (Valtellina – Italy) on 1914 , Compagnoni first summited K2 in 1954, July 31st, together with Lino Lacedelli. He was recognized with one of Italy’s highest awards, the medal of honor for civil valor, and in 2003 appointed “Cavaliere di Gran Croce". He was involved in a long and bitter battle with Walter Bonatti, regarding the unfair way the summit was conquested and the major if not decisive role of Bonatti itself.
It was only in 2004 that the Italian Alpine Club recognised that the official version of 1954 was not true, admitting  what really happened on K2.
 
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