Rescue teams have recovered four bodies after an avalanche struck Broad Peak in northern Pakistan, while the search continues for six missing climbers, officials said.
According to The Associated Press, poor weather has slowed rescue operations, with adverse conditions limiting helicopter flights and making it difficult to recover the bodies.
The group of 10 climbers lost contact with base camp after the avalanche hit as they attempted to climb the 8,047-metre peak.
Karrar Haidri, vice president of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, told The Associated Press: “The team has been out of communication since Thursday,” adding that army helicopters were involved in the search operation.
The expedition included five Nepali climbers, Pakistani mountaineer Sohail Sakhi, Omani climber Nathira, American climber Mallory Geis, a Chinese climber identified as Wang, and another foreign climber.
The Associated Press reported that China’s Foreign Ministry said it was verifying whether one of its citizens was among those missing.
Spokesperson Mao Ning said: “We will provide assistance to Chinese citizens in need and are also willing to offer help in accordance with the needs of the Pakistani side.”
Broad Peak is the world’s 12th-highest mountain and is located in Pakistan’s Karakoram range, where avalanches and rapidly changing weather frequently make climbing expeditions dangerous.
