The K2 summit push has been postponed on Friday following the accident on Broad Peak. Several climbers on K2 were due to begin their summit attempt tonight.
However, after the incident on Broad Peak, all teams on K2 are returning to base camp. According to the reports, the teams will assist in the rescue operation on Broad Peak after reaching base camp.
Earlier, four bodies were recovered after an avalanche struck Broad Peak. The search for six other missing climbers is still underway.
The avalanche hit Broad Peak yesterday, leaving 10 climbers missing. So far, the bodies of four climbers have been recovered.
Two of the deceased climbers have been identified as Nadhira Al Harthy of Oman and Pur Bahadur Gurung, known as Yukta, of Nepal.
Nirmal Purja in Broad Peak incident
The Alpine Club of Pakistan lost contact with the 10-member international climbing team on Broad Peak after an avalanche struck around midday on Thursday.
The avalanche hit the 8,047-metre mountain during an expedition that was led by well-known mountaineer Nirmal ‘Nims’ Purja, according to initial reports.
According to Dawn reports, the team included Pakistani climber Sohail Sakhi from Hunza, five Nepalese climbers, one American, one Omani, one Chinese, and another foreign climber.
ACP Secretary Karrar Haidri said that the club was closely monitoring the situation and was working with government authorities and rescue agencies to arrange helicopter support and ground rescue teams as soon as weather conditions allow.
According to GPS data, the climbers were swept nearly one kilometre down the mountain by the avalanche.
K2 summit push
A K2 summit push is the final climb from Base Camp to the 8,611-metre peak of K2. This journey is continuous over multiple days to climb the world’s second-highest mountain.
To achieve it, a person should have the endurance for up to 1,000 meters or 3,280 feet of elevation gain in the high 8,000-meter or 26,000+ feet zone.
Approximately, it takes 12 to 18 hours of climbing for the summit push. The ascent also includes mountaineering over multiple days and carrying personal gear to the camps.
