Chances of missing Pakistani mountaineer Ali Sadpara’s survival ‘next to none’, says son Sajid

Sajid Sadpara, the son of missing Pakistani mountaineer Muhammad Ali Sadpara, has said that the chances that his father is alive “are next to none”.

In a conversation with reporters in Skardu, where he arrived earlier on Sunday, Sajid said: “Rescue operations now only make sense if they are carried out to bring back his body. Otherwise, for the chance for anyone to survive at 8,000 metres for two to three days are next to none.”

Sajid said that a team of four climbers began their climb at around 11pm-12am on February 5.

“Unfortunately, I was without oxygen and at a height of about 8,200 metres in the winter, I felt like my health is getting affected as well as my mental well being.

“My father said he is carrying another oxygen tank which I should use. But as I began fitting the oxygen mask regulator, it leaked. So I came down,” he narrated.

Sajid said that the “last time he saw” his father was at the bottleneck at around 8,200-8,300 metres.

“I believe he summitted the peak and was on his way back […] there was wind as well that night which must have created some problems,” he added.

Sajid arrives in Skardu

Mountaineers go missing

Sadpara and two other mountaineers with him — John Snorri from Iceland and Juan Pablo Mohr from Chile — had gone missing on Saturday after which a search operation to retrieve them was launched.

Helicopters flew to a height of 7,000 metres on Saturday afternoon in their attempt to locate the missing mountaineers but were unable to find any clue to their whereabouts.

It had been reported two days ago that Sadpara and his team had successfully summited the 8,611-metre K2 — the world’s second highest mountain — late Friday, a month after their first attempt failed. However, their support teams had since then cautioned that the climbers’ status is still unclear and there has been no communication from their end since Friday.

Sadpara’s son safely reaches camp

On Saturday afternoon, Waqas Johar, Assistant Commissioner Shigar, Gilgit-Baltistan, said that there has been no success in finding the missing mountaineers so far and that weather conditions are “not good” at K2.

Update: #K2winter2021

The team left for final summit attack at 12:00am. It can take up to14 hours to reach the top. Please pray for the safety of team and all the climbers.
Management @john_snorri @EliaSaikaly pic.twitter.com/fOyYKVV2V4

— Muhammad Ali Sadpara (@ali_sadpara) February 4, 2021

He said that Ali’s son, Sajid Sadpara, who had been waiting at Camp 2 has now begun to descend.

Sajjid Sadpara has reached k2 Camp 1. #k2winterexpedition2021

— waqas johar (@waqas_johar) February 6, 2021

In a subsequent update, he said that Sajid has reached Camp 1.

Mountaineers set off on journey

Sadpara, Snorri and Mohr had departed for their journey a day after Sadpara’s birthday in the wee hours of Wednesday, asking fans and admirers to “keep us in your prayers”.

The two Pak Army helicopters have returned to skardu after doing search operation at k2 . They have found no clues . Weather condition is not good at k2. Sajjid sadpara is descending from camp 2. #k2winterexpedition2021

— waqas johar (@waqas_johar) February 6, 2021

They had started their attempt for the final summit in the early hours of Friday, hoping to accomplish the herculean feat by Friday afternoon.

Sajid sadpara has reached Skardu . The helicopters made a search operation with sajid sadpara and Dawa Sherpa upto to an elevation 7800m (their maximum limit) but unfortunately found no clues due to bad weather .@HomeDeptGB

— Deputy Commissioner, Shigar (@DeputyShigar) February 7, 2021

According to updates posted on Snorri’s facebook account on Friday, at 12:29pm, the GPS stopped working and had not updated in six hours.

It stated that Sajid had to return due to his oxygen regulator not working. “They were at a bottle neck at around 10am,” the account said.

Citing feedback from Sajid, the account stated that everyone was fine otherwise and going at a good pace until he had been with them.