GILGIT (MNN); A recovery team has returned to Camp 2 after failing to locate the body of Pakistani climber Asma Mushtaq, who is feared to be buried under snow on Gilgit-Baltistan’s Spantik Peak, an official said.
The 34-year-old mountaineer died on August 20 while descending from the 7,027-metre Spantik Peak, also known as Golden Peak, after developing severe high-altitude sickness. Her body was believed to be near Camp 3 at an altitude of around 6,250 metres.
Alpine Club of Pakistan General Secretary Ayaz Shigri said the six-member recovery team reached Camp 3 and carried out an intensive search for several hours but could not find Mushtaq’s body.
He said it remained uncertain whether the search would resume immediately or be delayed, as weather conditions would play a crucial role in determining the next phase of the recovery mission.
According to Shigri, fresh snowfall and strong winds may have completely buried the climber’s body, making the search operation extremely difficult.
He said the local rescue team consisted of highly experienced climbers. Once the body is brought down to the base camp, Pakistan Army helicopters are expected to airlift it to Skardu.
Shigri explained that helicopters cannot retrieve a body directly from altitudes above 6,000 metres, making it necessary for ground rescue teams to carry out the difficult task of bringing the body down from the mountain.
Earlier, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar also said that heavy snowfall over the previous two days had covered the area, making it extremely difficult for rescuers to identify the exact location of the body.
The recovery mission resumed after weather conditions improved, following a temporary suspension caused by heavy snowfall.
Mushtaq had successfully reached the summit of Spantik and was reportedly in good health during the ascent. However, she developed a serious medical emergency related to high altitude while descending at an elevation of around 6,400 metres.
She was part of a five-member Pakistani women’s expedition that successfully summited Spantik. The team included Zoni Aslam, Zaba Shigri, Shama and Sohana.
Changing weather patterns and worsening conditions in the Karakoram Range have increasingly created challenges for climbers, with avalanches, heavy snowfall and strong winds disrupting mountaineering expeditions in Gilgit-Baltistan.
Body of US Climber Shifted to Islamabad
Meanwhile, the body of American climber Sarah Mallory Geis was transported from Skardu to Islamabad on Wednesday for repatriation to the United States.
According to the Alpine Club of Pakistan, the body was flown from Skardu Airport by Pakistan International Airlines and handed over to an international insurance company responsible for completing the repatriation process.
Geis was among 10 climbers who lost their lives after an avalanche struck Broad Peak, which stands at 8,047 metres, last month. Her body was recovered 22 days after she went missing in the deadly incident.
The search for another missing member of the expedition, Nawang Thindu Sherpa, is continuing.
