Islamabad, 20 August 2024 (TDI): On August 17, a snow avalanche stranded five Russian climbers on Gasherbrum IV in Gilgit-Baltistan. Pakistan Air Force conducted a special operation to rescue them.
Two of them Alexei Bautin and Evgenii Yablokov were safely evacuated by the rescue mission. After being rescued, they were airlifted to Skardu on Sunday, Aug 18. The remaining three are still to be rescued.
The group was on a mission to retrieve the body of their countryman, Dmitry Golovchenko, who had perished on the mountain a year ago.
Operation Halted Due to Intense Weather
Currently, the rescue operation has been halted due to the difficult weather conditions. However, it would be soon resumed as the weather turned favourable. The two rescued climbers are in a critical situation. Out of the remaining three climbers, one, Sergei Nilov, has gone missing. As per the most recent updates, his exact location has also not been traced yet.
Karrar Haideri, the secretary of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, stated that the rescue mission highlights the severe and unpredictable dangers of high-altitude mountaineering, where even the most well-prepared expeditions can encounter life-threatening challenges.
Russian Embassy in Touch With PAF
Russian Embassy in Pakistan, the Russian Mountaineering Federation and the Pakistan Air Force are in direct contact to provide necessary assistance to the rescued members and ensure the safe return of the remaining three mountaineers. They are stranded at a height of approximately 6400m. Army aviation helicopters have dropped four local high-altitude mountaineers and one Russian climber at an altitude of 6,000 metres. The rescue mission has to traverse the remaining distance on their own as helicopters can’t land above 6000m.
As per the most recent updates, the rescue team is currently at 6,100 meters. They will begin their ascent to reach the stranded climbers on Tuesday morning. The army is also undertaking a separate operation to locate the missing climber, Sergei Nilov.