ISLAMABAD: Pakistani climbers have recovered the body of Muhammad Hassan Shigri, a porter who perished on K2 Mountain a year ago, a climbing federation – Alpine Club of Pakistan – confirmed Tuesday, marking an unprecedented rescue mission in the challenging terrain of the world’s second-highest mountain.
Shigri died on July 22, 2023, after slipping and falling from the perilous “Bottleneck” pass during a night climb. He was left dangling upside down on a rope before fellow climbers managed to pull him up. Despite their efforts to revive him, Shigri succumbed to his injuries as other climbers continued their ascent towards the summit.
The tragic incident occurred on the same night that Norwegian climber Kristin Harila, accompanied by her Nepali guide Tenjin “Lama” Sherpa, set a new record for the fastest summit of the world’s 14 highest peaks. The record-breaking ascent was marred by Shigri’s death, and the climbers faced criticism for stepping over his body as they proceeded with their climb.
The body recovery operation, described by Karrar Haidri, Secretary of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, as an “unprecedented rescue” and the “first of its kind on K2,” was completed last Wednesday. A team of five climbers led by Naila Kiani, a prominent Pakistani high-altitude mountaineer, executed the challenging operation. The recovery was supported by the Pakistan Army, and Shigri’s body was eventually returned to his family for a proper burial.
“We want to thank Naila Kiani and the porters who did this great job,” Aslam Naz Shigri, the deceased’s cousin, told AFP. “To bring the dead body back was a big wish of the family.”
