SHIGAR (Kashmir English): Rescue teams on Saturday resumed a search and rescue operation to locate seven climbers of a 10-member expedition team missing after a powerful avalanche at Broad Peak, as the bodies of three mountaineers were recovered.
According to the statement from Deputy Commissioner Shigar, the bodies of three climbers, including 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 recovered bodies were transferred to CMH Skardu via the Pakistan Army’s helicopters, while identification and other legal proceedings are ongoing.”
The officials said that the search and rescue operation was temporarily suspended yesterday due to adverse weather conditions.
In a recent statement, Gilgit-Baltistan Police spokesperson said that the body of Omani climber Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy was flown from Skardu to Islamabad on Saturday morning. While the body of Nepali mountain climber Pur Bahadur Gurung remains in Skardu.
The remaining missing climbers include five from Nepal, including renowned mountaineer Nirmal Purja, Kili Pemba Sherpa, Nima Sherpa, Nawang Thindu Sherpa and Gyalu Sherpa. Pakistan’s climber Sohail Sakhi and China’s Wang Zhong are also among those missing.
Local officials said that a three-member civil rescue team, led by renowned mountaineer Sarbaz Khan, are actively participating in the high-altitude mission.
Additionally, other international mountineers, including Nepali climbers present at the basecamp, have also joined the rescue operation.
Nepalese media outlet, Everest Chronicle, reported that renowned Nepali climber Mingma David Sherpa has arrived in Pakistan to assist in the search for Purja and the remaining missing climbers.
According to rescue officials, teams are utilizing high-tech drones to scan the dangerous, treacherous, and crevassed terrain in hopes of locating the remaining missing mountaineers.
The 10-member mountaineering team started their mission to summit 8,047-meter Broad Peak on July 29. The team had their last contact aafter t 9 am on July 30.
At 8 pm, the authorites came know that the team was struck by an avalanche while advancing from Camp-II to Camp-III at an altitude of approximately 6,600 meters.
Broad Peak, at 8,047 metres, is the world’s 12th-highest mountain and lies in Pakistan’s Karakoram range, close to K2.
