Body of US climber who died in Broad Peak avalanche airlifted from base camp

Gilgit: The body of US climber Sarah Mallory Geis was airlifted from the Broad Peak base camp on Tuesday after a 22-day recovery operation was halted due to persistent inclement weather. Geis lost her life in a catastrophic avalanche, which claimed the lives of ten members of the international expedition led by renowned British-Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja.

The tragic incident occurred on July 30, leaving only disaster in its wake. Geis' body was recovered by three local porters on Friday, 22 days after she disappeared in the deadly avalanche. The United States climber's remains were carried to the Broad Peak base camp by volunteers. General Secretary of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, Ayaz Shigri, confirmed to Dawn that Geis' body was airlifted to Skardu via Pakistan Army helicopters.

The body was met by officials from ACP, the district administration, police, and medical authorities at a helipad in Skardu. Shigri disclosed that the body had been transferred to the Combined Military Hospital in Skardu and would subsequently be sent to Islamabad following the completion of necessary legal procedures. The search for the tenth deceased member, Nawang Thindu Sherpa, was ongoing.

Earlier, Shigri had informed Dawn that the rescue mission had been suspended due to unfavorable weather conditions. Meanwhile, a rescue team set out from Spantik once more to recover the body of Pakistani mountaineer Dr Asma Mushtaq, who tragically died while descending the 7,027m peak on August 20 due to high-altitude sickness.

The 34-year-old had reached the summit of Spantik, known as the Golden Peak, earlier in the day and was in good health. However, she experienced a severe medical emergency at an altitude of around 6,400 meters during her descent. Despite the prompt efforts of her guides Akbar Ali and Muhammad Amin, Mushtaq was unable to be saved.

High-altitude sickness, a range of pulmonary and cerebral conditions caused by hypoxia due to rapid ascent and inadequate acclimatization to high altitudes, was the cause of her demise. Mushtaq was part of a five-member Pakistani women's expedition team that successfully summited Spantik, which included climbers Zoni Aslam, Zaba Shigri, Shama, and Sohana.

Climate change has intensified weather patterns in the Karakoram Range, presenting significant challenges for mountaineers.