The Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) said that the 10-member team included six Nepalese climbers, a Pakistani, an Omani, an American and a climber from China. The climbers from Nepal were identified as renowned mountaineer Nirmal Purja, Pur Bahadur Gurung, Kili Pemba Sherpa, Nima Sherpa, Nawang Thindu Sherpa and Gyalu Sherpa.

DNA

GILGIT: Four bodies were found on Friday as a search operation was underway to locate climbers who went missing on Broad Peak a day earlier after an avalanche struck around midday.

The Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) said that the 10-member team included six Nepalese climbers, a Pakistani, an Omani, an American and a climber from China. The climbers from Nepal were identified as renowned mountaineer Nirmal Purja, Pur Bahadur Gurung, Kili Pemba Sherpa, Nima Sherpa, Nawang Thindu Sherpa and Gyalu Sherpa.

It identified the remaining climbers as Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy from Oman, Pakistani climber Sohail Sakhi, Wang Zhong from China and Mallory Geis from the United States.

ACP President Major General Irfan Arshad told on Friday that four bodies had been found. He identified two of the dead as Oman’s Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy and Nepal’s Pur Bahadur Gurung.

In a statement issued earlier in the day, ACP Senior Vice President Karrar Haidri said two Pakistan Army Aviation rescue helicopters, carrying rescue personnel and additional specialised equipment, had been dispatched to support the ongoing search and rescue operation.

The statement said the ACP president, along with the club’s senior leadership, remained in constant contact with the highest government authorities and relevant agencies to facilitate the rescue operation.

“Every possible effort is being made to ensure that helicopter support and all available rescue resources are mobilised at the earliest opportunity, subject to weather and operational conditions,” it added.

The club said it was closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with all relevant stakeholders while expressing solidarity with the climbers’ families and the international mountaineering community. Meanwhile, Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Amjad Hussain Advocate directed all relevant departments to remain on high alert and expedite the search and rescue operation in coordination with the Pakistan Army, according to an official statement.

He instructed the district administration and concerned authorities to utilise all available resources to ensure the climbers’ safety.

Gilgit-Baltistan Minister for Tourism, Sports and Culture Naiknam Karim also expressed sorrow over the incident and said the provincial government was making every possible effort to locate and safely rescue the missing climbers.