Bad weather hinders mission to rescue stranded Pakistani climber on ‘Killer Mountain’

Islamabad, Jul 5 (EFE).- The mission to rescue stranded Pakistani climber and his companion on the Nanga Parbat, also known as “Killer Mountain,” faced a setback on Wednesday as the weather on the higher reaches of the mountain began to worsen, according to sources privy to the matter.

Two volunteer climbers who had embarked on a mission to rescue Asif Bhatti and Azerbaijan’s Israfil Ashurly had to halt their progress due to rough weather conditions.

The stranded climbers had begun the descent from C3 (camp 3) to C2 on Tuesday. Bhatti is suffering from snow-blindness.

The volunteers – Shah Daulat, who summited Nanga Parbat on Jun. 26 without oxygen, and Muhammed Yunus – have reached C1.

They have been attempting to reach C2, where they hope to meet the stranded climbers and rescue them.

“The two volunteer climbers who went for upper slopes of NP (Nanga Parbat) last night couldn’t go any further from C1 due to rockfall which started on the mountain last night,” the Karakoram Club tweeted Wednesday.

“The weather seems to be getting worse and Heli rescue is the only hope unless a miracle happens and climbers are able to come down on their own,” said the Club.

Alpine Club spokesperson Karrar Haidri said that the weather conditions did not permit a rescue by helicopter on Wednesday.

“It (the weather) is really bad at the moment at Nanga Parbat and a standby helicopter would take a round if the weather permits at any point in time,” Haidri told EFE.

An airlift could only be possible after Bhatti descends to an altitude of around 6,000m to 6,500 meters.

Prime minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday ordered for the rescue of Bhatti at Nanga Parbat after his minor son appealed to the government for help.

Nanga Parbat, which means naked mountain, is the 2nd highest peak in Pakistan and 9th overall in the world. EFE

aa/sc