Pakistani military helicopters on Thursday airlifted the bodies of five climbers from Broad Peak, nearly a week after an avalanche swept away a 10-member international expedition. The remains were transferred to a military hospital in Skardu.
Among the recovered bodies was that of renowned British-Nepali climber Nirmal Purja. The avalanche on July 31 killed five climbers, and the recovery operation has been ongoing. Three bodies were brought down on August 1, and Thursday's airlift brought the total number of recovered bodies to eight. Two climbers remain missing.
The Alpine Club of Pakistan described the incident as one of the country's deadliest mountaineering disasters. The bodies of Purja, Chinese climber Zhong Wang, and Nepali climbers Nima Sherpa, Gyalu Sherpa, and Kilu Sherpa were flown from Broad Peak's base camp to a Skardu airbase before being transported to the hospital.
The international expedition included climbers from Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, China, Britain, and the United States. Officials stated the bodies would be flown to Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, after coordination with the respective embassies.
Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar expressed condolences to the victims' families and affirmed Pakistan's commitment to the recovery operation in conjunction with the embassies of Nepal, Oman, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Mountaineering accidents are a known hazard in Pakistan's northern mountains, where climbers contend with avalanches, falling ice and rock, extreme altitudes, and rapidly changing weather conditions. Last year, a Chinese climber died on K2, the world's second-highest mountain, after being struck by falling rocks.
Typically, the bodies of foreign climbers who perish on Pakistan's mountains are recovered only at the request of their families and governments. If recovery efforts are declined, the remains are generally left on the mountain.