Gasharbrum 1: Search for missing mountaineers stopped, President of Alpine Club offers condolences

Islamabad, March 15: Army Aviation Choppers stopped searching for three mountaineers who went missing at the 8,068m high Gasharbrum 1 the other day. The three missing mountaineers, Austrian Gerfried Goschl, Swiss Cedric Hahlen and Pakistani Nisar Hussain, are now considered to be not alive.

Nisar Hussain Sadpara was a promising mountaineer hailing from Skardu District of Gilgit – Baltistan region.

“No trace whatsoever of the missing mountaineers could be found on the mountain. After flying along all possible flanks, and failing to spot any sign, the pilots decided to finish their search mission”, a statement released by the Alpine Club of Pakistan said.

“According to experienced mountaineers it is presumed that the three climbers were probably blown off the sharp ridge near the summit by strong winds. It may be noted that the near vertical Southern face of the mountain is thousands of metres deep and is located in the Chinese territory”, the statement went on to suggest.

On their way back, the Aviation Choppers, reportedly, evacuated three frostbitten Polish climbers from an altitude of 5,200 meters on Gasharbrum, dropping them at Skardu.

After discussing the situation with Wolfgang Goschl, brother of Mr Gerfried Goschl, who reached Skardu today, the head of Polish expedition, Artur Hajzer, has reportedly decided to abandon any further search mission for the lost mountaineers and has decided to close down the base camp. The Expedition now prepares for their return back to Skardu.

Lt Col Manzoor Hussain (Retd) President of the Alpine Club of Pakistan in a condolence message has expressed his deepest shock over tragic loss of the three par excellence mountaineers in an unfortunate accident. He said that Pakistani mountaineering community is shattered over this irreparable loss especially that of Nisar Hussain Sadpara. It may be mentioned that Nisar Hussain was one of the three Pakistani professional mountaineers who had climbed all the five high mountains of Pakistan rising above eight thousand metres. He has also condoled with the bereaved families of the lost climbers especially that of Nisar Hassan Sadpara.

Alpine Club of Pakistan will hold a press conference for the Polish expedition which made the first winter ascent of Gasherbrum I along with condolence reference for the lost mountaineers in Islamabad on return of the Expedition. A similar condolence reference will also be held at Skardu for these mountaineers.