Setting up camps on Gasherbrum 1, on June 18 at around 5 am, Jean-Noel Urban was leaving Camp 2 for Base Camp, when he fell into a very big crevasse. A search was attempted the next day, without results. There has been heavy snow fall since and rescue attempts have now been aborted.
This season, Jean-Noel and regular climbing partner Nicolas Brun planned to attempt an ascent of the Japanese couloir on the NW side of Gasherbum 1 and later an ascent and ski descent of Nanga Parbat by the Kinshofer route, Diamir side.