Rescue teams in Pakistan are intensively searching for climbers who went missing following an avalanche on Broad Peak. On Friday, rescuers found four bodies as they continued their efforts to locate the remaining six climbers. Adverse weather, including difficult flying conditions for helicopters, is hindering the search and recovery operations, according to government officials.
Officials, requesting anonymity, stated they are working to retrieve the bodies despite the challenging weather. The authorities have not yet disclosed which climbers have been found. Continuous harsh weather complicates rescue efforts, confirmed a statement from Amjad Hussain, the Chief Minister of the Gilgit-Baltistan region.
The missing climbers include five Nepali climbers, Pakistani mountaineer Sohail Sakhi, Omani climber Nathira, American climber Mallory Geis, a Chinese climber identified as Wang, and one other foreign climber. They lost contact with their base camp after an avalanche hit while they were scaling the mountain, said Karrar Haidri, vice president of the Alpine Club of Pakistan. Army helicopters are participating in the rescue efforts.
The search, which continued until Friday evening, is set to resume on Saturday. China’s government is working to confirm if any of its citizens are among the missing. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning expressed readiness to assist Chinese nationals and cooperate with Pakistani authorities as needed.
The expedition was led by Nirmal Purja, a notable mountaineer acclaimed for climbing the world’s 14 highest peaks in 189 days. This record, accomplished in 2019, was later featured in a Netflix documentary. His record was surpassed in 2023.
According to Moving Mountains, the expedition team’s journey started with a route to Askole. They reported it was Geis’ first attempt on a peak above 8,000 meters in Pakistan, while Sakhi intended it to be his final expedition. Sakhi is an experienced guide and photographer with a history of climbing major peaks.
Broad Peak, standing at 8,047 meters, ranks as the 12th-highest mountain globally. Situated in the Karakoram range, it attracts climbers worldwide. The region is notorious for accidents due to avalanches and unpredictable weather. The search continues as hopes remain for the missing climbers’ safe recovery.