ISLAMABAD, Nov 9: As per his last wish before he went missing while trying to attempt the killer mountain earlier in February, French climber Joel Wischnewski was buried in the Herrligkoffer's alpinists' cemetery near the Nanga Parbat base camp.
Joel Wischnewski was attempting one of the riskiest faces of the Nanga Parbat, solo. Climbers think twice before taking on the 8, 026 meters high peak from the Rupal face, which has the world’s highest wall, having a height of 4,600 meters from its base to the icy summit of Nanga Parbat.
According to the Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP), the body of the French climber and snowboarder, Joel Wischnewski, who went missing in the winter climbing season on Nanga Parbat, was recovered from the mountain in the first week of October.
ACP shared the lines, “He now rests in peace at the base of the mountain,” Joel Wischnewski’s brother Daniel Wischnewski had written recently.
“Moving up from CampIIas high as 4, 300 meters… I’ve got 3 days. Bye, take care and thanks for following,” were the last few words Joel which he published on his website on February 6. Concerns arose for his safety when he did not communicate after three days.
Member Executive Council, ACP, Karrar Haidri explained, how after prolonged silence, eventually resulted in launching a search and rescue operation on February 16.
Due to adverse winter conditions, the search efforts remained intermittent and rescuers could not go above CampII. Option of aerial search did not materialize because of various reasons including bad weather. No trace of young French climber could be found, despite repeated search attempts that lasted for roughly a month.
“He was most likely hit by an avalanche,” Karrar Haidri said.
Joel Wischnewski had arrived in Pakistanto attempt a new route on Rupal Face of Nanga Parbat on his own, without supplemental oxygen.
He reached the Base Camp on January 9, 2013. Joel started facing health problems even before he started his attempt. The abdominal pain lasted throughout the trip, which he posted on his website also.
In next couple of weeks, he established two camps at 4,150 meters and then 4,300 meters. Although, search operation during the winter months remained unsuccessful, the conditions changed in summer. After the snow melted, locals from nearby villages saw the body and notified the French Embassy in Islamabad.
According to the ACP, the French embassy requested Brig (retired) M Akram Khan from Adventure Foundation Pakistan, who organised an expedition to bring the body down. A team was composed of villagers who went up and brought Joel's body back on October 10.
Joel’s brother Daniel Wishchnewski said that the body was located at around 6,100 meters high, in his gear with his ice axe in his hand as if he was moving higher.
Finding Joel’s body answered some questions as to what might have become of the young climber.
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