K2 mission: Pakistani female mountaineer Naila Kiani led historic rescue mission
In a daring mission, Pakistani high-altitude climbers recovered body of Muhammad Hassan Shigri at K2 bottleneck
Islamabad: In a historic first, UAE-based Pakistani female mountaineer Naila Kiani has sucessfully led a mission to retrieve a body from K2 -- the second tallest mountain in the world in Pakistan.
History was made with the successful completion of the never-done-before K2 Bottleneck Body Rescue Mission on July 31 which coincides with the 70th Anniversary of K2 First-Ever Ascent.
Kiani lead a strong team of high-altitude porters (HAPs) to retrieve the body of Muhammad Hassan Shigri from the Bottleneck of K2 at a staggering 8,200m and brought it down to the advance basecamp.
This marks the first-ever rescue mission of its kind on K2 from such an extreme altitude. This happens to fall on the very same day that K2 was first ever submitted 70 years ago. The team dug out the body from bottleneck out of snow on 29th July and reached advance basecamp (ABC) at an incredible speed on 31st July at approximately 6:30pm.
How it began
Naila Kiani, approached by Hassan's family for assistance, leveraged her ongoing Mahreq clean-up project at K2 to undertake this humanitarian mission. Utilising the existing infrastructure kept the costs minimal, and the project was organised swiftly.
Despite requesting the NOC only one week before the summit push, the team was assembled quickly to take advantage of the weather window, making this a last-minute, yet critical operation.
After a year of Hasan Shigri's death and other climbers' greed for summit, history has been made by local climbers who successfully retrieved the body from K2 bottleneck to ABC.
— The Northerner (@northerner_the) July 31, 2024
Climbers
SADPARAS
Dilawar
Akbar
Zakir
Murad
Ali Mohd
Ground Team
Naila Kiani
DC Shiger #K2 pic.twitter.com/wrjR6J6sAA
This mission wouldn’t have been possible without the heroic efforts of these high-altitude climbers, the logistical support from Imran Ali, and the support from DC Shigar Wali Ullah Fallahi.
Previous attempts to fund such expeditions were too costly and did not receive approval. By conducting this mission on a not-for-profit basis, the team managed to reduce costs to one-third of the original estimates provided to the GB government. However, the mission is yet to receive sponsorship to fund the humanitarian effort.
- Key team members include:
- ● Dilawar Sadpara (Climber)
- ● Akbar Hussein Sadpara (Climber)
- ● Zakir Hussein Sadpara (Climber)
- ● Mohammed Murad Sadpara (Climber)
- ● Ali Mohammed Sadpara (Climber)
- ● Naila Kiani (Project Lead)
- ● Imran Ali (Logistics Manager)
- ● Wali Ullah Fallahi (DC Shigar)
Hassan's death
The circumstances surrounding Hassan's death have drawn international attention. Despite numerous climbers passing by, Hassan, an inexperienced high-altitude porter, lacking proper gear with insufficient aid, the incident underscored the need for enhanced training and leadership, better equipment, and more robust structures and ethical standards in mountaineering.
Dignified burial
This rescue mission not only aims to provide a dignified burial for Hassan but also serves to demonstrate the exceptional skills and dedication of Pakistani high-altitude workers. It is a critical step towards addressing the gaps in mountaineering education and safety, and it sends a powerful message of the commitment to improving local standards in the industry.
Army support
The conclusion of the project remains reliant upon the critical support needed from Pakistan Army for a helicopter evacuation from advanced basecamp (ABC) to ensure the safety of the rescuers and to prevent decomposition of the body due to high temperature.
Better training and financial support
Muhammad Hassan Shigri's death on K2 last year led to many professionals in the industry questioning whether there are significant deficiencies in mountaineering protocols in Pakistan compared to international standards, and general ethics for mountaineers globally need to also be addressed. Reports indicate that despite his critical condition climbers bypassed him without offering assistance. Hassan, who lacked the necessary experience and equipment, was attempting to support his family financially by undertaking this perilous task. The incident not only highlighted the dire need for better training and equipment for high-altitude porters but also called attention to the ethical responsibilities and enhanced protocols of climbers and partaking expedition organisations.
70th anniversary of first K2 climb
Notably, 70 years ago, the first ever K2 summiteers left one of their members and the Pakistani climber Amir Mehdi exposed overnight in the death zone to secure their summit. Although both survived, Mehdi was hospitalised for months and never climbed again. Tragically, Muhammad Hassan Shigri faced a similar fate last year when he was left to die so climbers could achieve their summit.
Save lives over glory
Despite advances in mountaineering technology, the prioritisation of glory over saving lives has remained unchanged. Missions like this raise hopes for transition in Pakistani mountaineering infrastructure and sends an important signal to global mountaineering ethics.