GILGIT: Two Japanese climbers went missing while attempting to scale K2, the world’s second-highest peak, on Saturday morning.

Shigar Deputy Commissioner (DC) Waliullah Falahi told Dawn that the two climbers, Kazuya Hirade and Kenro Nakajima, fell down from a height of 7,500m west of K2.

He said army aviation helicopters conducted a search operation in the area and spotted the two climbers. But it was observed that the men had no movement.

The official added that aerial rescue was not possible as the helicopters, which flew from Skardu, could not land or hover at such altitude.

A ground rescue team would be prepared to rescue the two climbers, he added.

Official says mountaineers fell from height of 7,500m

DC Falahi said it was not known if either of them was alive. However, experts have said their survival was not possible at that altitude.

This is the second mountaineering accident in Gilgit this month. Earlier, a Japanese climber fell into a crevasse and died while descending the 7,027-metre Golden Peak.

The body of the 65-year-old Onishi Hiroshi stayed on the mountain for a week before it was retrieved by some local climbers and high-altitude porters from the nearby Hoper Valley of Nagar district.

Broad Peak summits

Currently, alpine activity is in full swing in Gilgit-Baltistan as more than 2,000 local and foreign mountaineers are in the region to climb some of the highest mountains in the world.

According to reports, 13 locals, four Nepalese, one Iranian, one British, and one Russian climber summited Broad Peak (8,051m) on Saturday morning in a short window opened due to good weather.

On K2 and Gasherbrum-I, several climbers reached a decisive stage, aiming to complete the summit on Sunday, days before the end of the climbing season.

The 13 locals who ascended Broad Peak included Ahmed Baig, Arshad Karim, Rizwan Dad, Waqar Ali, Daulat Muhammad, Afreen Shah and Zaman Karim from Shimshal Valley of Gilgit-Baltistan; and Murad Ali from Balochistan, according to their expedition company, Karakorum Expeditions.

They reached the summit at 7:15am, along with Iya Pershina from Russia.

“We are excited to announce that Team Karakorum Expeditions has successfully summited Broad Peak and fixed ropes all the way to the summit this morning! Braving waist-deep snow, our team worked tirelessly through challenging conditions all night long,” the company posted on its Facebook page.

The team departed from Camp 2 at 5:30am and continued from Camp 3 at 11am, “ploughing through deep snow and navigating new exposed crevasses”.

Mirza Ali, who leads Karakoram Expeditions, said he was “overjoyed” by the courage demonstrated by the climbers.

“Their ability to navigate through waist-deep snow and install fixed ropes all the way to the summit exemplifies the spirit of mountaineering.”

Another four-member expedition team from the Pakistani Broadboy Adventures team, led by Shehroze Kashif successfully scaled Broad Peak at 11:30am.

In a statement, Mr Kashif said the challenging expedition had a narrow window but was “worth every effort”.

The team included Aamar Butt, a resident of the USA; Anum Uzair from Lahore; and Ali Akbar and Ali from House, GB.

“We are eagerly waiting and praying for their safe descent to Basecamp,” Mr Kashif added.

Meanwhile, Sunu Sherpa from Nepal has set a world record for climbing the Broad Peak for the third time.

Iqbal Qadri, the CEO of Summit Kara­ko­ram, which organised Mr Sherpa’s expedition, said he completed the summit in alpine style — without fixed ropes or porters.

Mr Sherpa has summited the world’s 14 eight-thousanders twice.

According to Mr Qadri, the mountaineer is now attempting to scale 14 eight-thousanders for the third time.

“Your determination, skill, and perseverance have paid off, and this achievement is a testament to your exceptional mountaineering abilities. Well done!” he said while praising Mr Sherpa.

Pasang Namgyal Sherpa, from Imagine Nepal expedition team; Mathew David Holt from the UK, Aang Phurba Sherpa and Temba Sherpa from Mashabrum Expedi­tions Treks and Tours; and Hossein Nateghi from Iran and Hassan Shigri also completed the summit of Broad Peak.

At K2, foreign and local climbers reached Camp 4 on Saturday despite heavy snow.

Mingma G, the Imagine Nepal owner and one of the climbers, posted on Facebook that a rope-fixing team was at work to help the climbers.

“We didn’t expect this much snow on K2 this time after weeks and weeks of high wind,” Mr Mingma wrote.

Published in Dawn, July 28th, 2024