ISLAMABAD: Search and rescue teams are continuing efforts to locate climbers missing after an avalanche struck an international expedition on Broad Peak in Pakistan’s Karakoram mountain range, officials said on Friday, adding that four bodies have been recovered from the 10 climbers reported missing.
The avalanche hit the group on Thursday as the climbers attempted to summit the 8,047-meter (26,401-foot) peak, cutting off contact with all members of the expedition.
Pakistan’s renowned mountaineer Sirbaz Khan is leading the search and rescue mission. Rescue teams are operating in difficult terrain despite harsh weather conditions to reach the missing climbers.
Officials said the missing expedition includes climbers from the United States, Nepal and Oman, as well as Pakistani mountaineer Sohail Sakhi from Hunza.
Rescue authorities said avalanches, rugged terrain and adverse weather have made the operation extremely challenging. Helicopters and ground teams, however, are continuing the search without interruption.
Broad Peak, located in the Karakoram range near K2, is the world’s 12th-highest mountain. It attracts dozens of climbers from around the world each year but is considered one of the region’s most dangerous peaks because of unpredictable weather, avalanches and technical climbing conditions.
