The body of Ali Akbar Sakhi, the first Afghan climber who died at K2’s camp 3 last year, has been successfully repatriated to Afghanistan. This marks the first time a body has been recovered from K2, a challenging feat due to the mountain’s treacherous conditions.
A team of six climbers from Skardu, led by Abid Sadpara, undertook this unprecedented mission with the support of the Pakistan Army. The recovery operation lasted six days, with the team finding Sakhi’s body at an altitude of 7,200 metres. New ropes were installed to assist in the descent. The body was flown to CMH Skardu by army helicopter and returned to Afghanistan.
Since 1952, K2 has claimed the lives of 586 climbers. The significance of this operation is underscored by the fact that even skilled Nepalese climbers had previously declined the task due to its complexity.
