After six harrowing days on a remote peak in Pakistan’s northeast, two injured Russian climbers have been rescued, while another remains missing and is presumed dead, a mountaineering official disclosed on Wednesday.
The drama unfolded as a five-member team attempted to scale one of Gasherbrum’s peaks to retrieve the body of a fellow climber who perished there last year. On Friday, the climbers were struck by a sudden avalanche of ice. Initial rescue efforts allowed for the airlifting of two mountaineers on Monday, but the severe injuries of the remaining two complicated further rescues.
The successful extraction of the two injured climbers was achieved on Tuesday with the assistance of an army helicopter and local volunteers, according to Karrar Haidri, Secretary of the Alpine Club of Pakistan. Haidri revealed that the third climber fell into a crevasse and could not be located.
One climber, identified as Sergei Nilov, went missing during the avalanche and is presumed dead, Haidri added.
The rescued climbers were identified as Mikhail Mironov and Sergei Mironov. The intricate rescue operation was executed by local climbers Yousuf Ali, Muhammad Ali, Ghulam Abbas, and Muhammad Younus, alongside Russian climber Evgeni Lablokov.
The army helicopters transported the team to an elevation of 6,000 meters (19,685 feet), the maximum altitude at which these helicopters can operate. The two Russians were then moved from the peak to the base camp and stabilized in a winterized tent. However, challenging weather conditions thwarted plans for a helicopter transport to the northern city of Skardu, compelling the team to seek alternative means to get the injured climbers to a hospital.
Haidri confirmed that an army helicopter remains on standby with pilots ready to transport the Russians to Skardu as soon as conditions allow.
The Russian team charted an unusual route on the treacherous Gasherbrum, unaccompanied by guides. Although Haidri acknowledged the noble motive behind their ascent—retrieving a fallen comrade’s body—he cautioned against attempting such perilous ventures.
“Climbers are fully aware of the dangers linked to such missions, but they still opt for dangerous and unexplored routes,” Haidri remarked. “This is how climbers make records but also come across challenges.”
Every year, hundreds of climbers brave the mountains in northern Pakistan, where avalanches and sudden weather shifts make accidents common. Tragically, this month saw the death of Pakistani climber Murad Sadpara, 35, who was known for his high-altitude rescue missions. Sadpara died during a descent from one of the country’s tallest northern peaks.
