ISLAMABAD — The body of Pakistani climber Sohail Sakhi was recovered on Thursday by a team of local volunteers from Broad Peak, nearly two weeks after he went missing in an avalanche that claimed the lives of 10 mountaineers. Officials confirmed the recovery.
Sakhi had been missing since July 30, when an international expedition led by renowned climber Nirmal Purja lost contact with base camp. Authorities later determined that all 10 climbers on the expedition had died, marking one of Pakistan's deadliest mountaineering accidents in recent years.
The recovery effort was carried out by volunteers from the region, who were later joined by other rescuers to transport Sakhi's body to base camp. The Alpine Club of Pakistan stated that the body was expected to be moved by helicopter to a regional air base, weather permitting.
This recovery comes two days after a candlelight vigil was held in Islamabad, where climbers, diplomats, and members of civil society gathered to honor the deceased. The international expedition comprised climbers from Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, China, Britain, and the United States.
Broad Peak, standing at 8,051 meters (26,414 feet) in the Karakoram range, is the world's 12th-highest mountain and is located near K2, the second-highest peak globally. Mountaineering accidents are not uncommon in northern Pakistan due to the presence of several of the world's highest mountains.
