Pakistani mountaineer presumed dead
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ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani mountaineer (high-altitude porter) was presumed dead after an avalanche swept down a group of climbers on the Broad Peak on Tuesday.
According to details coming out of the Base Camp, the Pakistani mountaineer went missing whereas some other climbers were seriously injured and awaiting an aerial evacuation.
“A heavy wet snow fell, and it did not stop through the night – it was so loud at times, it sounded like rain,” said one of the climbers, Chris Burke. Nonetheless, many climbers decided to go up on the Broad Peak.
According to Karrar Haidri, the press secretary to the Alpine Club of Pakistan, a group of Japanese and Chinese climbers along with Pakistani high-altitude porters and Sherpa were on the way to camp 1 when an avalanche came down at around 11am. Seven climbers were swept down the mountain.
One of the injured Sherpa called the Base Camp and a search and rescue mission was launched.
“Six climbers, including the seriously injured Japanese member of the summit climb team Sumiyo Tsuzuki, were lowered to the Base Camp and given immediate medication. However, the Pakistani high-altitude porter of the Seven Summit Trek team couldn’t be located. The missing porter is presumed dead,” he said.
The Base Camp teams called for an aerial evacuation of the injured climbers; however, the helicopter couldn’t fly from Skardu due to a bad weather. Depending on the weather, the evacuation will be reattempted on Wednesday.
Published in Dawn, July 22nd, 2015
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