Gilgit-Baltistan (GNP): A rescue operation to recover the body of Pakistani mountaineer Dr Asma Mushtaq from Spantik, also known as Golden Peak, resumed on Tuesday after weather conditions improved in Gilgit-Baltistan’s Shigar district.
The rescue team departed from base camp and began trekking towards Camp 2, with plans to reach Camp 3, where the 34-year-old climber’s body has remained since her death on August 20. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar confirmed the resumption of the operation in a post on social media, saying the team was proceeding cautiously and would continue as conditions allowed.
Mushtaq died at an altitude of about 6,250 metres while descending from the 7,027-metre peak after developing a severe high-altitude medical emergency. The recovery effort had earlier been hampered by severe weather, which prevented rescuers from bringing her body down from Camp 3.
Alpine Club of Pakistan General Secretary Ayaz Shigri had said on Monday that conditions were expected to improve on Tuesday, allowing the team to make another attempt. Once the body reaches base camp, Pakistan Army helicopters are expected to airlift it to Skardu.
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According to the Alpine Club of Pakistan, Mushtaq had reached the summit of Spantik in good health during the ascent before developing a serious high-altitude medical emergency at an elevation of around 6,400 metres during the descent.
Her mountain guide, Akbar Ali, and expedition guide, Muhammad Amin, attempted to assist her under extremely difficult conditions, but she could not survive. Karrar Haidri, senior vice president of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, expressed condolences over her death and acknowledged the efforts of the guides who tried to save her.
Mushtaq was part of a five-member Pakistani women’s expedition that successfully summited Spantik, alongside climbers Zoni Aslam, Zaba Shigri, Shama and Sohana. Spantik, located in the Karakoram range of Gilgit-Baltistan, is one of Pakistan’s prominent high-altitude climbing destinations.
High-altitude sickness, caused by the body’s inability to adapt to reduced oxygen levels at elevation, can in severe cases lead to potentially fatal complications affecting the lungs or brain. The rescue team continues working to bring Mushtaq’s body down safely despite the challenging terrain and conditions.
