Rabat – Pakistani authorities have located the bodies of four mountaineers who went missing after an avalanche struck Broad Peak, one of the world’s highest mountains, while search efforts continue for six other climbers still unaccounted for.
According to RT Arabic, senior Pakistani government officials said on Friday that rescue teams identified the location of the four bodies but have not yet been able to recover them because of severe weather conditions on the mountain.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media, said rescue teams are continuing efforts to retrieve the bodies despite the harsh conditions. They did not reveal the identities of the recovered victims.
Images and names of the missing climbers have circulated widely on social media. The group reportedly includes six Nepalese climbers: Nirmal Purja, Yukta Gurung, Nima Sherpa, Gyalu Sherpa, Nawang Thundu Sherpa, and Kili Pemba Sherpa, along with Pakistan’s Suhail Sakhi, American climber Mallory Gais, Omani mountaineer Nazira Al Harthi, and China’s Wang Chong.
The disappearance of Al Harthi has drawn particular attention in the Arab world, making her one of the most closely followed members of the international climbing team.
Broad Peak, which rises to 8,051 meters (26,414 feet) in Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan region, is the world’s 12th-highest mountain and is considered one of the country’s most challenging climbing destinations. The mountain’s steep terrain, high altitude, and unpredictable weather frequently complicate rescue operations.
Pakistani authorities have not announced when the four bodies will be recovered or provided further details on the condition or whereabouts of the six climbers who remain missing.
