A Pakistani mountaineer's expedition to the ninth-highest mountain in the world, Nanga Parbat, took a tragic turn after he got stranded at the peak due to snow blindness, the Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) stated.
Climber Asif Bhatti, a university professor from Islamabad, got stranded at camp 4 of Nanga Parbat when he was proceeding to the final summit of the peak at an altitude of 7,500-8,000m in the Himalayan range in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
Karrar Haidri, the Secretary General of the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) told Pakistani media that Bhatti's condition was brought to their attention by climbers from different groups who were also trying to scale the peak.
"A helicopter will be needed to pick him up but for that, he will have to come down to the altitude of around 6,000-6,500 m," Haidri said.
Just a few days ago, Bhatti initiated the expedition with a team of experienced mountaineers, which included retired Lieutenant Colonel Dr. Jabbar, Dr. Naveed, Saad Muhammad, and Faheem Pasha.
"His other team members have not yet begun their final summit push," Haidri added.
The Karakoram Club, an organization dedicated to adventure tourism in Pakistan, posted on Twitter that a team of climbers from the Karakoram Expedition in Shimshal Village in Pakistan is preparing for a rescue mission and awaiting a helicopter to transport them to the higher camps.
Pakistan Mountaineer Asif Bhatti Stranded At Nanga Parbat Due To Snow Blindness
© Photo : Twitter/@KarakoramClub