No trace of missing K2 climbers as harsh weather continues to hamper rescue mission

(Karachi) The three missing K2 climbers, who went missing eight days ago, could not be traced as harsh weather conditions continue to hamper rescue mission, local media reported on Sunday.

As per details, the last location of three missing mountaineers, including Muhammad Ali Sadpara, was traced through satellite images two days back but heavy snowfall and rain on K2 halted the Pakistan Army's rescue efforts.

The army also deployed C-130 aircraft and helicopters to find the mountaineers but it could not continue with its operation due to extreme weather. The operation will resume once the weather condition normalises.

Muhammad Ali Sadpara, John Snorri from Iceland and JP Mohr from Chile lost contact with the base camp eight days ago and were reported missing on February 6 after their support team stopped receiving communications from them.

As per details, the satellite pictures released by Iceland and Chile were shared with Pakistan that helped in identifying the last location of the missing mountaineers. The last location of the missing climbers has been traced at the point where the GPS of the team stopped working.

The son of Ali Sadpara, Sajid Sadpara returned to the base camp after he was sent back from an altitude of 8,200 meters owing to a malfunction in his oxygen regulator.

Talking to the media after the end of second-day rescue mission in Skardu, Sajid said that the three climbers may have had an accident while descending from the K2 "Bottleneck", considered the most dangerous route of the entire expedition.

"There is no hope to live [under such harsh conditions] for three straight days," Sajid said. “When I returned from Bottleneck at 8,200 metres, they were climbing up the Bottleneck at 11AM [on Friday]. I’m sure they made the K2 summit and on their way back they may have had an accident, that’s why they are missing,” he added.