Two Russian climbers who were part of a five-member team attempting to retrieve the body of a fellow climber on Gasherbrum’s peak in northern Pakistan were injured after being hit by falling ice. Rescuers airlifted two of the climbers while the other two remained at the base camp due to their injuries and bad weather. The missing fifth climber, presumed dead, could not be traced due to heavy snowfall on the mountain. After being stranded for a week, the injured climbers were transported to a hospital in Skardu by ambulance and are reported to be in stable condition.
The climbers, Mikhail Mironov and Sergei Mironov, are receiving medical care at the hospital in Skardu, according to Karrar Haidri from the Alpine Club of Pakistan. The search for the missing climber, Sergei Nilov, has been called off as he is presumed dead. The two injured climbers received medical care, with one requiring minor treatment and the other having bruises on his arms and legs from the ice incident. Despite the death of their colleague, the climbers expressed gratitude to the Pakistani rescuers and the army for their efforts to save their lives.
The climbers were well aware of the risks associated with their mission to retrieve the body of their deceased colleague, who perished on the same mountain in 2023 while attempting to scale it. Climbing accidents are common in the northern region of Pakistan, with hundreds of climbers attempting to scale mountains each year. Avalanches and sudden weather changes pose significant risks to climbers in the area. Earlier this month, a Pakistani climber named Murad Sadpara, known for high-altitude rescue missions, died during a descent from one of the country’s tallest mountains in the north.
The city of Peshawar, located in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, serves as the capital of the region. The mountainous terrain of northern Pakistan attracts climbers from around the world, seeking to conquer challenging peaks. Despite the dangers and risks involved in mountain climbing, many climbers are drawn to the region’s awe-inspiring landscapes and the thrill of conquering some of the world’s highest peaks. The recent incident involving the Russian climbers highlights the perils of attempting such expeditions in remote and treacherous mountainous terrain.
