Search to resume for lost climbers

AN aerial search for three experienced climbers who lost contact with base camp during their ascent of the world’s second-highest mountain, K2, will resume today, officials said.

Karrar Haideri, from the Alpine Club of Pakistan, said army helicopters had earlier resumed the search which began on Saturday for Pakistani mountaineer Ali Sadpara and his two companions, John Snorri, from Iceland, and Juan Pablo Mohr, from Chile.

The men lost contact with base camp were reported missing after their support team stopped receiving reports during their ascent of the 28,250 feet mountain in northern Pakistan.

“A search is on and let’s pray for their safe return home,” Mr Haideri told the Associated Press.

On Saturday, helicopters flew to a height of 23,000ft to try to locate the missing mountaineers, with no success.

Mr Sadpara and his team left their base camp on February 3, a month after their first attempt to scale the mountain failed because of weather conditions.

Mr Haideri said Mr Sadpara is an experienced mountaineer who has climbed the world’s eight highest peaks, including the highest, Mount Everest, and was attempting to climb K2 in winter, when local weather conditions are at their most dangerous.