Environment

Spanish climber’s body arrives in Islamabad for repatriation

Islamabad, Jan 18 (efe-epa).- The body of the Spanish mountaineer Sergi Mingote, who died during the weekend on a winter expedition to Mount K2 – the second-highest mountain in the world – arrived on Monday to Islamabad for repatriation to Spain.

Alpinist Carlos Garranzo, appointed by Mingote’s family for carrying out repatriation process, informed EFE about the transfer of the body from the locality of Skardu, near K2, to the Pakistani capital, a distance of around 600 kilometers (373 miles) to the south.

Currently, the body of Mingote has been kept at a hospital while the process is underway for it to be taken back to Spain.

“Everything is processed, but the paperwork at the Interior Ministry will take around three days,” said Garranzo, who was also taking part in the winter expedition at the 8,611-meter (28,251 feet) high mountain but pulled out due to health reasons.

Mingote, 49, died Saturday during the expedition after suffering a fall from Camp 1 to advanced base camp, where a medical team was sent.

“No one thinks he’s going to the mountain to die, else we would not go,” the mountaineer said, refering to the death of his companion.

Mingote’s death was mourned in Spain by leaders of political parties, the economic world and social entities.

The municipality of Parets del Vallés in Barcelona on Saturday – the day of his death – declared five days of official mourning over the death of its former mayor.

The death of the veteran mountaineer coincided with the first ever winter ascent of K2, an expedition he was jointly leading, achieved by 10 Nepalese sherpas.

The Himalayan peak, on the border of China and Pakistan, was the last of the world’s 14 highest mountains, all over 8,000 meters, never to be scaled in winter. EFE-EPA

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