GILGIT: Pakistan Army helicopters successfully airlifted two Russian climbers stranded on Gasherbrum IV (7,925 meters) a day after an avalanche struck their group. The avalanche hit on August 5, affecting five mountaineers who were attempting to climb the sixth-highest peak in Pakistan.
One climber was reported dead, while two others sustained injuries and were awaiting rescue in critical condition. The group included Sergei Nilov, Mikhail Mironov, Alexy Bautin, Sergei Mironov, and Evgenii Lablokov, who had begun their ascent on August 4. The avalanche struck at 6,400 meters elevation.
According to Shigar Deputy Commissioner Waliullah Falahi, Sergei Nilov is missing, and Mikhail Mironov and Sergei Mironov were injured. Alexy Bautin and Evgenii Lablokov were unharmed and were later rescued and airlifted to Skardu by the army.
Bautin reported that the avalanche originated at 7,000 meters and led to Nilov’s death, with Mironov and Mironov injured. He had been in contact with his teammates via satellite phone and indicated that the injured climbers were stable but required urgent rescue.
Tour operator Ghulam Muhammad noted that weather conditions prevented further helicopter operations after the initial rescue. The climbers, stranded at over 6,400 meters, were out of reach for helicopters, which were unable to land or hover at that altitude.
To assist, the plan is to drop four local high-altitude climbers at 6,000 meters to help rescue the stranded mountaineers. The army helicopters will then airlift the climbers to Skardu.
A press release from Karrar Haideri, secretary of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, stated that the climbers were on a mission to Gasherbrum IV to recover the body of Dmitry Golovchenko, who disappeared on the same mountain in 2023. The expedition aimed to bring closure to this previous tragedy.
The statement revealed that Nilov was missing with no updates on his condition, while the two injured climbers were in critical condition, facing a grim outlook. The Alpine Club Secretary emphasized the severe and unpredictable dangers of high-altitude mountaineering, noting that even well-prepared teams can encounter life-threatening challenges.
