Pakistan Army helicopters airlifted Sarah Mallory Geis’ body to Skardu after weather delayed recovery efforts following the July 30 avalanche.
GILGIT: The body of American mountaineer Sarah Mallory Geis, who died in the Broad Peak avalanche last month, has been recovered and airlifted to Skardu after weeks of challenging weather conditions.
Pakistan Army helicopters transported Geis’ body from the Broad Peak base camp on Tuesday, following the recovery of her remains by three local porters.
Geis was among 10 climbers who died after an avalanche struck their expedition on July 30. The expedition was led by renowned British-Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja.
According to officials, Geis was one of the last two members of the expedition whose bodies had yet to be recovered. Three local porters found her body on Friday, about 22 days after she went missing, and carried it to the Broad Peak base camp.
The body remained at the base camp until weather conditions improved enough to permit helicopter operations.
Alpine Club of Pakistan General Secretary Ayaz Shigri said Pakistan Army helicopters eventually airlifted the body to Skardu.
Officials from the Alpine Club of Pakistan, district administration, police and medical authorities received the body at a helipad in Skardu before it was shifted to the Combined Military Hospital.
The body is expected to be transported to Islamabad after the completion of the required legal formalities.
Meanwhile, the search continues for another missing member of the expedition, Nawang Thindu Sherpa. Authorities said the operation remains underway.
Broad Peak rises more than 8,000 meters in the Karakoram range and is the world’s 12th-highest mountain. Its technical terrain and extreme weather conditions make it one of the most challenging high-altitude climbing destinations.
Separately, a rescue operation has resumed to recover the body of Pakistani mountaineer Dr. Asma Mushtaq, who died while descending Spantik, also known as Golden Peak.
The 34-year-old climber died on Aug. 20 after developing severe high-altitude sickness while descending the 7,027-meter mountain in Gilgit-Baltistan’s Shigar district.
Her body is currently at Camp 3, located at an altitude of about 6,250 meters. An earlier recovery attempt was disrupted by harsh weather, but improving conditions allowed a six-member team of high-altitude porters to resume the operation Tuesday.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the team had left the base camp and was moving toward Camp 2, adding that the rescuers were proceeding cautiously and would continue as weather conditions allowed.
Officials said Pakistan Army helicopters are expected to transport Mushtaq’s body to Skardu once rescuers bring it down to the base camp.
Mushtaq had successfully reached the summit of Spantik and was reportedly in good health during the ascent. She later developed a serious medical emergency at an altitude of around 6,400 meters while descending.
Her mountain and expedition guides, Akbar Ali and Muhammad Amin, attempted to assist her, but she could not survive despite their efforts in difficult conditions.
Mushtaq was part of a five-member Pakistani women’s expedition that successfully climbed Spantik. The team also included Zoni Aslam, Zaba Shigri, Shama and Sohana.
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