The concerns have turned into reality, as three-member team led by Pakistani mountaineer Muhammad Ali Sadpara on K2's winter ascent went missing, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Saturday.
Pakistan Army began a search operation to find Muhammad Ali Sadpara and his foreign colleagues Pima Jan Sunori (Iceland) and JP Mohar Jo (Chile).
It has been reported by the Alpine Club of Pakistan in a statement: “Sajid Ali Sadpara (son of Muhammad Ali Sadpara) is also coming down from K2 base camp-III.”
The twitter account attributed to Muhammad Ali Sadpara said, “Last communication b/w Sajid and base camp was at 01:00am and 04:00am.”
The Pakistani mountaineer became a social media celebrity for his courage to scale the world’s second-highest mountain K2 in winter without oxygen support.
Reportedly, people from all walks of life prayed for his success and there were mixed reports about his whereabouts when the 18-member team decided to return to K2 base camp-III amid bad weather conditions but Sadpara and his two co-mountaineers continued the journey.
Fakhar-e-Alam also tweeted, “Disturbing News. Our national hero Ali Sadpara and his team members lost contact & are now declared missing on K2. Pakistan Army search and rescue is on the job. At this time I ask you all to please take a moment to pray for the missing.”
Separately, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson in a tweet also expressed heartfelt condolences to the government of Bulgaria and the family and friends of Atlantas Georgie Skatov, who died on Friday during the K2 expedition.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office admired the courage of Bulgarian mountaineer. Just three weeks ago, Spanish mountaineer Sergi Mingote died while climbing the world’s second-highest mountain.