ISLAMABAD, FEB 09 (DNA) – A C-130 plane will now join the search operation on the K2 mountain to locate Pakistani hero Muhammad Ali Sadpara and two other foreign climbers.

This is going to be the biggest air search in the history of the country, the sources claimed. The sources also said the C-130 plane is on standby as is ready to take off as soon as the weather becomes clear. Ali Sadpara’s son Sajid Sadpara will also take part in the historic operation

The search for mountaineers John Snorri Sigurjónsson from Iceland, Ali Sadpara from Pakistan, and Juan Pablo Mohr Prieto from Chile will be carried out as soon as the weather is clear. The rescue operation faced difficulties for the last three days and Tuesday’s helicopter search was also delayed due to harsh weather conditions.

Earlier, Alpine Club of Pakistan claimed that K2 rescue team during their search operation on Monday found evidence at a few places including possible traces of a camp and sleeping bag of Muhammad Ali Sadpara, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Tuesday.

It has been claimed on the fourth day since the internationally acclaimed Pakistani mountaineer Sadpara and his co-climbers from Iceland and Chile were missing on K2 winter summit push.

Three search operations led by Pakistan Army Aviation Department Lama helicopters failed to find the traces of the three summiteers despite the harsh weather conditions at the world’s second tallest mountain, “the savage mountain.”

Pakistan Armed Forces Spokesperson ISPR DG Major General Babar Iftikhar said that Sadpara was a national hero and the army was putting all-out efforts to search him. Sajid Ali Sadpara, son of missing Muhamamd Ali Sadpara when returned to Skardu talking to media persons, said he certainly believed that his father summitted the K2 and something bad happened when his father was coming back from the top of the mountain.

The US Embassy in Pakistan also wished for the safe recovery of all three climbers.  In a tweet, the Embassy said “Our thoughts are with the brave climbers, Muhammad Ali Sadpara of Pakistan, Juan Pablo Mohr of Chile, and John Snorri of Iceland, who are missing on K2. We all hope for their safe return.” = DNA

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