(Web Desk Monitoring) — Mountaineer Murad Sadpara, who was leading this year’s K2 cleanup expedition, tragically passed away after suffering a severe injury during his descent from Broad Peak, the Broad Peak Rescue Team confirmed to private TV channel on Monday.
The rescue team, which departed from base camp earlier in the day, reached Camp One and confirmed Sadpara’s death.
This tragedy occurred just days after Sadpara had successfully retrieved the body of Hasan Shagri, a mountaineer who died last year on K2, and brought it to the base camp. Sadpara had then embarked on another expedition to summit Broad Peak, accompanied by a Portuguese mountaineer.
During their ascent, the Portuguese mountaineer fell ill, leading the pair to abandon their climb and return to base camp. Unfortunately, on the descent, Sadpara was struck in the head by a rock at Camp One, sustaining fatal injuries.
Sadpara’s body has been transferred to the Japanese camp and will be moved to the base camp by 2 p.m. today. From there, it will be transported to Skardu via an army helicopter, according to rescue sources.
Two additional climbers have arrived at the base camp by helicopter, and four members of the rescue team had left the base camp at 1 a.m. on Monday.
President Asif Ali Zardari expressed deep sorrow over Sadpara’s passing and extended his heartfelt condolences to the mountaineer’s family. He acknowledged Sadpara’s significant contributions to mountaineering and offered prayers for his forgiveness and for strength for his grieving family.
Last year, Sadpara had retrieved the body of an Afghan mountaineer from Camp Three. The 35-year-old mountaineer was known for spending his summers climbing mountains and his winters driving tractors. He is survived by his wife, three daughters, and a son.