Search Operation Resumes for Seven Missing Climbers at Broad Peak

GILGIT: A search and rescue operation for seven climbers missing after an avalanche at Broad Peak resumed on Saturday morning. The operation had been suspended late Friday because of bad weather in the region.

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 taken by helicopter to Skardu.

The seven missing climbers include five from Nepal: 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 missing.

A three-member civil rescue team led by renowned mountaineer Sarbaz Khan has joined the search operation. Nepali climbers from other teams staying at the base camp are also helping with the search.

Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) President Major General Irfan Arshad said the search operation was continuing at Broad Peak and Pakistan Army helicopters were heading towards the area where the climbers went missing.

ACP General Secretary Ayaz Shigri said the rescue operation was being supported by army helicopters. He added that drone footage showed more climbers at an altitude of around 6,000 metres.

“Mountain terrain, adverse weather, snow avalanche risks and snowfall create difficulties for rescue team members,” he said.

According to Nepali media, renowned mountaineer Mingma David Sherpa has arrived in Pakistan to assist in the rescue operation and help locate Purja and the other missing climbers.

The avalanche struck on Thursday as the mountaineers were attempting to summit Broad Peak, which stands at 8,047 metres. The team was climbing at an altitude of around 6,600 metres when the avalanche hit.

The climbers were last in contact on Thursday morning before reports of the powerful avalanche emerged later that day.

“Data from their tracking devices indicates that they were thrown hundreds of metres down the mountainside,” Naila Kiani from Pakistan’s Alpine Club told Le Monde newspaper.