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Pakistani Climber winter summit attempt status unknown - search operations underway

Three-member expedition on K2 in search of missing climbers

Jamal Shahid
July 24, 2021



This photo posted on July 17 shows Sajid Sadpara during the expedition. — Photo courtesy Sajid Sadpara's Twitter


This photo posted on July 17 shows Sajid Sadpara during the expedition. — Photo courtesy Sajid Sadpara's Twitter


ISLAMABAD: Sajid Sadpara and two other climbers have climbed as high as 7,800 metres on K2 in search of the three missing mountaineers from the last winter expedition, Alpine Club of Pakistan said on Friday.
One of the missing climbers was Sajid Sadpara’s father Mohammad Ali Sadpara.

Earlier in February, Ali Sadpara had gone missing along with his two climbing partners Iceland’s John Snorri and Juan Pablo Mohr from Chile. The trio were attempting to climb K2, the world’s second highest peak at 8,611 metres.

Until 2021, K2 was the only peak above 8,000 metres that had never been summated in winter and was on the radar of many mountaineers.

Ali Sadpara was the only Pakistani mountaineer to have summated eight of the 14 highest peaks in the world above 8,000 metres and made the first ever winter ascent on Nanga Parbat.

Sajid Sadpara and team have climbed up to 7,800 metres
Secretary Alpine Club of Pakistan Karrar Haidri said that before the bad weather hit on Friday, Sajid Sadpara and two other team members Elia Saikaly and Pasang Kaji Sherpa had pushed as high as possible, in their quest to find out what happened to the three missing winter climbers.

Mr Haidri said the search party, after reaching 7,800 metres on the windless day, used their drones up to 8,300 metres and scanned the route higher while looking for any signs of the missing mountaineers.

“No traces thus far of the missing climbers,” Karrar Haidri said while quoting the search party.

He said Elia Saikaly was also filming a documentary about the last winter’s dramatic events on K2.

Meanwhile, ACP said Anastasia (Nastya) Runova, after her successful summit of Broad Peak had met with an accident on descent. Apart from frostbitten fingers, the Russian climber was not physically hurt.

ACP said that she had slipped some 100 metres, but after resting she was able to descend safely to the base camp.

However, Korean mountaineer Kim Hong Bin was not so lucky who fell on Monday from an 80-degree wall and died.

He had climbed as high as 7,900 metres on the Broad Peak (8,047 metres), said the Alpine Club.

Meanwhile, other expeditions were waiting for clear weather window expected by next week to continue with their summit attempts on K2 and Broad Peak.


Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2021
 
“It is my dream and desire to advance my father’s legacy: We are known for this. I am also a climber, so my first priority is to continue this mission. I am on K2 now in search of my father, John, and JP. This is the restart of my mountain life after last winter. Inshallah, I will climb high mountains like my father, Ali Sadpara.”

Insha' Allah.
 
Gilgit-Baltistan "Land of Mountains"

BREAKING:
Mushtaq, the base camp manager at K2, has confirmed that a rope-fixing team, comprising Sherpas, has located two bodies on K2 near the Bottleneck.

One of the bodies, found 300 meters below the bottle neck, is of Muhammad Ali Sadpara, while another body, found 400 meters below the bottleneck, is believed to be of Icelandic high-altitude mountaineer, John Snori.

The rope fixing team was from the “Madison Mountaineering/Mashabrum Expeditions Treks and Tours", reports Mushtaq.

Both Ali and Snori had gone missing while summitting K2 in February 2021.
 
Updates from Elia Saikaly:

Today at 4:00 PM
We are good, back at camp 4. Heading back up tonight to try to complete the mission.

Today at 4:00 PM
If anyone can help us get more oxygen, anyone from Pakistan with influence, people at BC leaving, we could use your help. Running low.

Today at 3:59 PM
Sajid just buried Juan Pablo. His father Ali is just above the Bottleneck. We will go up again tonight.



“I am totally different from last winter: I came here that time to set a world record on winter K2, then the only unclimbed 8000er, with my father and John (Snorri). Now I am here in their search and I am climbing with lots of emotional feelings but also responsibilities. I must be careful since I am also thinking a lot about the future…I am climbing physically, but also internally.” - Sajid Sadpara


'Broad Boy', Shehroze Kashif, and the Pakistani team from Hushe; Ali Durani Hushe, Muhammad Hassan Hushe, Mushtaq Ahmad, and Usuf Meeri, are also up there right now. Hassan Jan and Fida Ashur are on Gasherbrum I. Pray for everyone's success and safe return if you can please. The conditions are not ideal.
 
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PAMIR TIMES


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Sajid Sadpara, Elia Saikaly and team need more oxygen at K-2 Camp 4

The Canadian Filmmaker Elia Saikaly has sent an SOS message for more oxygen as the team was running low on it.

"If anyone can help us get more oxygen, anyone from Pakistan with influence, people at Base Camp leaving, we could use your help. Running low.”
Another message reads that Sajid Sadpara has buried Juan Pablo and that his father's body is located above the bottleneck.

"Sajid just buried Juan Pablo. His father Ali is just above the bottleneck. We will go up again tonight.”


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From Sajid:


Last few days have been challenging and lucky for us all, high up in the mountains. With whole nation waiting and looking to hear about search and recovery of their hero #AliSadpara. We are lucky enough to find the bodies of my companions from #K2Winter2021 and trying to 1/n
secure and preserve it at a safe location for further possibilities. Being at a very technical and dangerous slope, retrieving it in first place is challenging. In order to honour my father #AliSadpara and lost companions,I have once again set my foot on the summit of K2 this 2/n

morning at 8:10am. I am securing bodies of fallen climbers to a safe place and instant retrieval from above bottleneck is not possible without endangering many lives. Possibilities of retrieving bodies without further damages and without risking lives would be done at later 3/n

stage after consulting families and experts. I am thankful to whole nation for their love and prayers. I request everyone at K2 not to share any photo/video of the bodies, as it’s very painful for all families and friends. #MissionSadpara #K2Search #HonourAliSadpara

 
People shouldn't try to climb K-2 or ME without oxygen or Proper equipment. RIP to everyone who lost their lives there.
 
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