Search and rescue teams continue operations on Broad Peak after recovering three victims, while severe weather and dangerous terrain hamper efforts to locate the remaining missing climbers.
ISLAMABAD: Search and rescue teams have recovered the body of 39-year-old American mountaineer Mallory Geis after a devastating avalanche struck an international climbing expedition on Broad Peak in northern Pakistan.
The avalanche hit the 10-member expedition at an altitude of around 7,000 metres on Broad Peak, the world’s 12th-highest mountain in the Karakoram range. The expedition was led by renowned British-Nepali climber Nirmal “Nims Dai” Purja.
According to rescue officials, Pakistani military helicopters and ground teams have so far recovered the bodies of three victims. They include American climber Mallory Geis, Omani mountaineer Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy, and Nepali guide Pur Bahadur Gurung.
The Alpine Club of Pakistan said ongoing rescue operations remain extremely challenging due to unstable weather, avalanche risks, and the mountain’s difficult terrain. These conditions have slowed efforts to reach other climbers who remain missing following the disaster.
Drone footage captured from the area indicated that several expedition members were swept nearly 1,000 metres down the mountainside by the avalanche. However, rescue personnel have not yet been able to safely access those locations because of the hazardous conditions.
Authorities in Gilgit-Baltistan said the recovered victims were transported to regional medical facilities for formal identification procedures. Military helicopters remain on standby and are expected to resume retrieval missions when weather conditions improve.
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