A Search and Rescue Operation to Locate Missing Climbers on Broad Peak Resumes
A search and rescue operation to locate seven climbers missing after an avalanche at Broad Peak earlier this week resumed on Saturday morning. The operation was suspended late Friday due to adverse weather conditions in the region, but it has been restarted with a three-member civil rescue team led by renowned mountaineer Sarbaz Khan.
The bodies of three climbers — Oman’s Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy, Nepal’s Pur Bahadur Gurung and American Mallory Geis — were found on Friday and airlifted to Skardu. The missing climbers include five from Nepal, including renowned mountaineer Nirmal Purja, Kili Pemba Sherpa, Nima Sherpa, Nawang Thindu Sherpa and Gyalu Sherpa.
According to the local administration, a three-member civil rescue team was taking part in the search and rescue operation. The team started their ground mission again on Saturday morning to locate the seven missing climbers. Additionally, Nepali climbers present at the basecamp with other expedition teams were also taking part in the operation.
Pakistan’s climber Sohail Sakhi and China’s Wang Zhong are among those missing. Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) President Major General Irfan Arshad told Dawn that the search operation was underway at Broad Peak, while he said Pakistan Army helicopters were also heading towards the area where the climbers went missing.
The rescue teams had identified the presence of more climbers at an altitude of 6,000m through drone footage. However, mountain terrain, adverse weather, snow avalanche risks and snowfall create difficulties for rescue team members.
According to Nepali media, renowned Nepali mountaineer Mingma David Sherpa arrived in Pakistan to assist the search and rescue operation. He travelled from Nepal to join the ongoing efforts to locate Purja and the other missing climbers.
The avalanche struck while the mountaineers were on a mission to summit Broad Peak (8,047 metres, 26,400 feet) on Thursday while the team was ascending at an altitude of around 6,600 meters. The team was last in contact on Thursday morning, with reports emerging that evening of the powerful avalanche.
Data from their tracking devices indicates that they were thrown hundreds of meters down the mountainside. Naila Kiani, from Pakistan’s Alpine Club, told Le Monde newspaper: “The data from their tracking devices indicate that they were thrown hundreds of metres down the mountainside.”
The search and rescue operation is ongoing, with additional input from AFP. The exact location of the missing climbers remains unknown at this time.
Source: Dawn
Based on reporting from Dawn.
